A Silver Chain of Evening Rain
by silver-doe287
Summary: Natalie is a sorceress in disguise who travels to Camelot to discover that she isn't who she thought she was. She finds a lover in Merlin, whom she knows is a sorcerer himself. Together they must endure the laws of Camelot.
1. Prologue & A Dangerous Dream

Natalie's head was bent in a solemn prayer, tears streaming down her cheeks. She sat in a hard wooden chair, next to the bed of her dear guardian, who was on her deathbed. She clung to her guardian's hand, feeling the tears flow freely off her face and into her lap.

"You...must go to Camelot, child," Laurel whispered, her words coming out choked and soft. "There you will discover your soul. There you will find peace."

"But how?" Natalie asked sadly, staring into her guardian's bright green eyes. "I am not welcome there!"

"Don't...tell...anyone...why..." she said faintly, her eyes closing briefly. Laurel let out a weak cough and sighed slowly.

"You must go...for me," she said pleadingly, her voice barely above a whisper. Natalie looked at her guardian and saw the determination in her voice, even though she had no strength. Then she made her decision.

"If I must," she said softly. Laurel smiled painfully.

"You will fulfill your destiny," she said, her voice strong for a brief moment. Then it faded away, and along with it her life. Natalie clutched her guardian's hand, feeling the moment when her pulse stopped its faint beating. She cried over Laurel, thinking to herself that she had just sealed her own fate, as well.

When she composed herself Natalie stood, covering her guardian with a pure white sheet, brought for this horrid occasion. Then, with a final, fleeting glance at her life, she walked back into the main room of their home, grabbed a sack that was full of food and clothing, her life's worth, and she stepped out the front door.

But just before she left she turned around, cast one final desperate look at the house, and, her anger made her mind lash out to her emotions. Her eyes flashed gold in their pain and fire erupted from the fireplace, quickly filling the main room and the rest of the house. Sadly satisfied, Natalie walked out of the burning house, knowing it would be her last visit to the village in a very long time.

He was walking through the castle in the dead of night, searching carefully around himself for signs of life. The moon shone like a beacon as he reached his destination and stopped. The large, ornate, wooden doors opened for him and he silently slipped into the throne room, which was dark and abandoned.

_Quietly he stole through the vast space between the door and the throne, and he stared down at the chair in awe. In his subconscious he had no idea why this particular chair intrigued him; he had an inkling of an idea that he secretly thirsted for the kind of power people who sat in this chair had. His hand reached out and touched the cool wooden rest and the plush crimson cushion. Taking his hand back, he pushed his fingers apart and focused on the chair. Without words his eyes flashed gold and the light layer of dust that coated the chair rose and moved respectfully to the side at his gesture. Satisfied, he stood taller and sank into the throne, enjoying its comfort and its power._

_A candle jumped to life on the other side of the room. He jumped, his eyes darting to movement as a figure stepped out of the shadows, sword raised. The man's expression was livid and determined, a face that he had seen many times before._

"_I never knew…" Arthur said quietly, his look venomous as he stared. "All this time, you've been lying to me?"_

_He stood from the throne, feeling scared but yet strong._

"_Arthur…" he started._

_A loud 'twang' sound came from behind Arthur and barely a moment later a white-hot pain centered in his stomach. He gasped in pain, stumbling back into the chair. He tripped and fell onto the floor, his head hitting the seat of the throne. His vision went momentarily black, and when it returned it was fuzzy. Through the pain he heard a pair of boots approach him._

"_You, Merlin, have been accused of practising magic," Arthur said. Then something odd started happening: as he continued talking, his voice started to manipulate and warp._

"_The punishment for magic is one thing only…"_

"_Death," Morgana whispered. Merlin looked up slowly, saw the hand reach out and heard the incantation spoken._

Merlin screamed, jerking away from the dream and into his bed.


	2. An Arrow & A Sorceress

***kisses the ground readers walk on* Good evening, everybody. I know I died for about five months now, but I've been having some issues with the account and now I think I'm starting to get the hang of this. ;) I know that isn't an excuse but I will post 3 chapters quickly in succession just because I made you wait. And then I'll make some more and you will all love me!**

**Hey, I can try, right? Merlin isn't mine, but Natalie is. Enjoy the official Chapter 1, because I consider the last chapter a prologue of sorts. ****J**

**Enjoy!**

**An Arrow & A Sorceress**

His vision started to clear, and Merlin clutched his stomach in agony. There was no arrow in the wound but from his feeling he could tell that there _was_ a wound, and it was bleeding heavily. He felt his hands begin to coat with his own blood, and this thought made his head swim.

"G-Gaius!" he gasped, not able to get anything else out. Trying hard not to focus on the pain, Merlin remembered the similar dreams he had been having the entire week. The first night of his dream he had gone undetected, the second night Arthur's dream-self had punched him in the stomach, and the third night Arthur had stabbed him in the hand with a small dagger. He had woken up with the pain flared in his hand, but he had been able to hide his cursed dreams from Gaius. He didn't want his friend worrying about him. When he had woken and saw the dream was actually happening, he had known that there were only a few people who could have enough power to cast a sell on his dreams every night. That was the main reason he didn't tell Gaius, because Morgana was a touchy subject for the current Camelot.

There was no sound from below, and Merlin, gritting his teeth in pain, sat up and looked wildly about his room. With his mind he picked up a book from the floor and flung it against the wall.

"Gaius!" he called again, his voice breaking. His head began to pound and he laid back down, raising his head slightly to gaze at the enormous amount of blood pulsing from the wound.

"Merlin?" A tentative voice called from the main room. Merlin nearly cried out in relief.

"Gaius!" he shouted with as much sound as he could muster. There was a clatter downstairs and the door opened.

"Merlin, what is—" Gaius stopped, nearly dropping the candle in shock. Merlin couldn't speak anymore, but just continued to clutch his stomach with bloody hands. Gaius rushed over, holding the candle over the wound with wide eyes.

"What in the world happened?" Gaius asked, setting the candle down and ripping the shirt still covering the wound.

"An…arrow…" Merlin said faintly, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Wherever from?"

Merlin didn't answer, but pressed a bloody hand to his forehead. His head had begun to ache, and he assumed that it was from loss of blood.

"It…hurts…" he moaned. Gaius stood up.

"I'm going to need you to relax," he said seriously. "You're losing too much blood. I will prepare a sleeping draught for you."

"NO!" Merlin hissed. He started breathing more rapidly. If he went back to sleep it would get worse!

"Merlin, calm down, please!" Gaius ordered, leaning over his face. "If you don't sleep, you'll die!"

Merlin thought wildly for a moment.

"Trance," he whispered, eyes wide. He was trying to tell Gaius that he could put himself in a sleepless trance so he wouldn't be harmed more.

"That's too dangerous, what if you don't wake up?" Gaius asked.

"Dreams…cursed…"

There was a pause as Gaius looked down to the wound and back up at Merlin.

"Who?" he said quietly.

"Mor…gana…" Merlin closed his eyes, feeling himself start to slip into unconsciousness. A little voice in his head was telling him that there was no use fighting it, that he was going to die anyway…

Gaius touched his stomach and Merlin instantly woke up, screaming into the hand that covered his mouth. The pain was unbearable, he was gasping for breath—

"Get a hold of yourself and go into the trance then!" he snapped, holding Merlin's arm down. Merlin tried to calm himself despite the pain, and he clenched his fists. He took another deep breath and allowed his mind to freeze his actions, mental and physical. He felt his breathing slow, his pain lessen, and the pounding in his head subside. He found that even though he couldn't move he could still see. Gaius was gazing at the wound, watching as the blood flow all but ceased. He glanced back and met Merlin's eyes.

"You're going to need to close your eyes if you get visitors," he said softly. "You're eyes are gold."

Merlin tried as hard as he could to close his eyes but couldn't even twitch. Gaius sighed.

"I'll see if I can keep everyone away," he decided. "I'm assuming you can't feel pain right now so I will start by cleaning the wound." He stood up, turned away, and left the room. He was back in a few minutes with a couple vials in his hands. He set these down and walked over to Merlin's head.

"I'm going to need to take your shirt off," he said as he lifted the shirt and tore it the rest of the way off. Merlin silently watched, his gold eyes following Gaius's every move. He had slowly pulled out a flask and had unstoppered it. Carefully, he poured it over the wound.

The pain had lessened but it wasn't gone, and when Gaius poured the liquid in the wound the pain flared back up to a completely new level. Merlin wanted to scream, but his trance held it all in except a slight moan that escaped from his lips like a ghost. Gaius heard this and he stopped, looking back at Merlin's eyes.

"I'm sorry," he apologized lowly. "I have no choice."

The wound had begun to fizz and the bleeding had ceased completely. Despite the pain Merlin was able to breathe deeply, forced to keep the same movement in the trance. Gaius took another vial and poured this over the wound as well, and the pain flared again. He could tell through his pain that Gaius was choosing to ignore him, so he took another initiative instead.

'Can't you make it stop?' he asked in his mind, using telepathy for the first time on his friend. He noted that his voice still came out calm, although he was everything but. Gaius, hearing this in his own mind, looked sharply at his face.

"You will have to wait it out, I'm afraid," he responded, raising an eyebrow. "Where in the world did you learn that?"

'Mordred, the Druid boy.'

"Ah…" Gaius took Merlin's ripped shirt and made a wrap, tying it snugly around his stomach. "The pain should lessen in about an hour, so I suggest you should remain in a trance until you're awake self can stomach the pain.

'Thank you, Gaius,' Merlin thought. Gaius nodded, but then paused as he looked down at his hands.

"Merlin…" he said, his gaze focused solely on his left hand. "There's something in your hand." He tried to pry it off and succeeded after a few moments. Gaius held it up to Merlin's vision so they could stare at it together.

It was a single, bloodied arrow. And it bore the royal symbol.

***gasp* A magical dream created by evil Morgana! Who knows what will happen next? ****J**


	3. A Shirtless, Romantic Encounter

**As promised, a quick updating of Chapter 2! Just a fun little Gwen/Arthur scene, I love those to as a canon couple! ^_^**

**Enjoy!**

**A Shirtless, Romantic Encounter**

The blinds were pulled open and the morning sun flashed into Arthur's face. He groaned, pulling his blankets over his head.

"Must you do that every morning, Merlin?" he grumbled sleepily.

"I'm not Merlin, my lord," Gwen said from across the room. Arthur peeked an eye to see her standing with her back to him, preparing his breakfast.

"Where's Merlin?" Arthur asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"I dunno, Gaius asked me to stand in for him today," she answered, turning around and frowning slightly. "I fear he might be ill."

"Merlin? Ill?" Arthur laughed at the idea. "Merlin has never unintentionally been sick since he started working for me!"

"Gaius sounded worried, though…"

He looked at her concerned face and thought for a moment.

"Then we shall visit him," he decided, standing up. Then he realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He looked at himself, at Gwen, and back at himself.

"I need a shirt," he said stupidly. Gwen nodded, blushing and smiling. Arthur smiled dumbly. He looked around himself, so used to Merlin presenting his clothes that he momentarily forgot that his servant wasn't there. So Arthur took the liberty to walk to his cupboard and choose a shirt for himself. He held it up for Gwen.

"What about this one?" he asked. She laughed, and he looked down stupidly.

"It's upside down," she giggled, walking forward and taking it out of his hands. Their fingers briefly met, and Arthur felt heat surge between the small contact. She blushed again as she turned the shirt right side up.

"There, that's much better," she said softly, letting it fall into his arms. She turned to go but Arthur dropped the shirt and grabbed her wrist, spinning her into his chest. She gasped, her hand landing on his bare chest as she gazed into his perfect blue eyes. He brought his arms around her and pulled her in closer, so there was no space between them.

"What would I do without you, Gwen?" he asked tenderly.

"You'd be wearing your shirts upside down," she answered back, looking down. He brought his hand to her chin, and tilted her face back up to his just in time for his lips to meet hers. She reacted instantly, bringing her hand up to his face, his hair. He pushed her back closer to him and parted his lips so her tongue could enter his mouth. The passion thickened between them and Arthur found himself pulling her onto the bed behind him, the desire of the past few months released as he felt her weight on top of him.

She broke off, gasping.

"We should stop," she whispered, but Arthur forced her lips back to his. He didn't want to think about the seriousness of his decision, or how much trouble he'd be in if his father found out.

Now that he thought about his father, however, Arthur stopped grudgingly and let Gwen climb off of him.

"I'm sorry, sire," she said breathlessly, curtsying. Arthur grabbed her wrist again as she turned to go.

"Never call me sire," he said. "You are my equal, love."

Gwen didn't blush but smiled slightly as if silently disobeying his order and she left the bedroom.

"Wait, what about Mer—!" He suddenly asked, but he looked up and she was gone. Suddenly feeling grumpy, he stomped over to his shirt and picked it up, putting it on and grabbing his sword belt. He was going to find out what exactly was wrong with his clumsy servant and friend, whether or not his Guenevere was with him.


	4. To Save A Life

**Natalie meets Merlin in a strange way. We learn a little more about the only character I can call my own. Enjoy!**

**To Save a Life**

As soon as she entered the city gates Natalie felt strange. She felt a gate enter the essence of her mind and she nearly stumbled into a passing guard in surprise.

"Watch it there, miss," the guard said, helping her get steady on her feet.

"Thanks," she said vaguely, her mind curiously following the barrier of magic she recognized. It was almost a line of magic connecting something, and so she began to walk through the lower town as she mentally followed the magic and arrived at the steps of a tower she assumed was part of the royal court. She walked inside, eyeing the guards on either side of the door. They continued looking straight ahead, so she followed their lead and ignored them, following the narrow hallway until the mental chain turned towards a door. She looked carefully at the plaque next to this shut door, which read "Court Physician." When she tried the door it was locked fast, but she pressed her hand against the knob and a second later the door creaked open menacingly, and she walked into the room.

When she was inside Natalie looked about herself in wonder, momentarily forgetting the magic that led her into the room in the first place.

Books lined shelves that were at the top part of the walls. Dangerous, rickety staircases perched at the edges, standing in wait for when they were needed. An empty fireplace loomed gloomily at the end of the room, her vision of it blocked by what looked like an array of potions, liquids, and vials. Sunlight shone through the grimy window, and Natalie followed the rays to an almost-hidden door preceded by a short flight of stairs. She could tell that the magic line headed up that way, so, cautiously and stealthily, she moved up the staircase and opened the door. She peeked her head inside before snapping the door shut again. Parylised with shock, she reviewed the image she had just seen with hate.

It was a young, handsome man—not very muscley but making up for it with his looks—with a gaping wound in his stomach. He hadn't moved a muscle upon her glance, but what caused her to jump back was the significance of his eyes—a light, sharp gold.

This boy was magical, hidden right in the very chambers of Camelot itself! He had also looked very injured and wasn't moving; therefore, Natalie reached into the depths of her mind and followed the chain right up to the bed of the man. There seemed to be something stopping the chain from reaching him completely, and curiously won her over. Pushing her mind to its limits, she followed the chain at an alarming rate in the other direction. It whizzed through Camelot and left the city behind, shaking through a forest, over a mountain and to a valley. It slowed and then stopped abruptly and she unknowingly entered the mind of the other person.

"He must be dead, it's been over a day," the woman said to herself as she paced the length of a long, dark tunnel. Natalie recoiled, realizing that she had entered the mind of the instigator, and she forced herself out of the mind. Latching onto the chain with the entire strength of her mind, she pulled against it and tore the link from the woman's mind. This force sent her reeling back to her original location as the link disappeared. She heard the ghost of a woman screaming before she fell back into her own mind.

The link was gone and instantly Natalie felt better. She looked at the door hiding her face from the man and she concentrated on floating a cloth to cover his eyes. Then she entered the room, satisfied that he couldn't see her identity, and knelt next to the bed. She held her hand over the wound in his stomach, feeling the bind to magic it possessed. This must have been what the woman had been talking about. Carefully she let her mind explore the wound.

A soft moan escaped the man's full lips. She jerked away, stopping the search. Quickly, she decided to heal him and once more she allowed her mind to wander through the depths of the wound, healing the deepest parts and working her way to the surface. When nothing was left but a fresh scar, Natalie stood up, satisfied with her work. She turned and started to walk away from the man.

"Thank you," a voice spoke in her mind. She didn't answer, afraid that it would give away her identity, and she rushed from the room and the Court Physician's home.

**Now, I'm going to make a pledge for everybody. Ready? Here we go:**

**I, silver_doe287, do hereby swear to update my fanfiction story/ies as much as possible, and will never abandon the readers again.**

**Signed, silver_doe287**

**Happy? Want some cookies? Sorry, I'm a terrible cook. *throws black burnt cookies away* How about a quick update instead? ;) I'll get back to you guys on that.**


	5. Alive & In Love

**Aw, silver couldn't help herself…so I decided to be nice and give you another chapter. Unfortunately I don't have a typed version of this so if it turns out distorted it's because I got it from my other fanfiction site. Enjoy this chapter, and expect more!**

**I do NOT own Keli. She's my best friend and wanted to appear in a story, so I made her a servant in here. She's crazy just like the Keli in this story, so if you love her, let me know and I'll pass on that love! :)**

**Enjoy**

**Alive & In Love**

Merlin heard when Gaius returned with a basket full of herbs. Carefully (the ghost of his pain echoed in his memory) he released his mind and body from the trance. He gritted his teeth as his hands twitched but the expected pain never came. Whoever the mysterious stranger had been, he/she had healed his wound completely.

Merlin could hear Gaius quickly preparing some medicine so he slowly stood, grabbing a shirt and slipping it on, and walked over to the door.

"Gaius," he called as he walked down the stairs, "Look!"

His friend and guardian turned to the sound of his voice and Gaius almost dropped the vial he held in surprise.

"Where's the wound?" he asked. "What did you do?"

"Not me," Merlin answered. "I had a visitor earlier, and they didn't show their face but whoever it was, they healed me completely!"

Gaius blinked.

"Another sorcerer healed you?" he asked curiously, and Merlin nodded.

"I don't think I've ever met him before," he stated.

"Very well then, we should keep a look out for-"

He was interrupted by the pounding of feet against the floor and the hurried knock against the door.

"Gaius!" Arthur shouted and Gaius glanced once at Merlin before opening the door. Arthur barged past him and he set down the person in his arms on Gaius's bed.

It was a girl of amazing beauty, despite her normal-looking clothing. Dark brown hair curled around a soft, pale face. There was a light pattern of freckles on her flushed cheeks, and her full, pink lips were open in a silent 'o'.

"I was on my way here when I saw her collapse," Arthur explained. "Speaking of which-aren't you supposed to be gravely ill?" he directed at Merlin. Thinking wildly for a moment, Merlin smiled and shrugged.

"I'm feeling much better," he said, before he turned to look back at the girl. She was so beautiful, he was surprised that he had never seen her before. He was certain he would have remembered her.

"What's wrong with her?" Merlin asked Gaius, not looking away from her face.

"I can't see anything wrong with her," Gaius answered. "I'll have to examine her. Sire, could I borrow Merlin for the day? I will need his help."

Merlin shot a grateful look at Gaius.

To their surprise, Arthur blushed. He mumbled something about Gwen and left the room.

Merlin sank to his knees next to the girl and found her wrist. The pulse was strong, but that didn't reassure him.

Gaius brought over a bucket of water and gave it to Merlin.

"She might be dehydrated," he suggested as Merlin scooped up some water in a ladle and held it to the girl's lips.

She opened her eyes and drank the water, startling Merlin. After draining the ladle she handed it back to him, wiping her eyes. Then she saw him properly.

"Oh!" she gasped, instantly scooting off the bed and out of his reach. She grabbed the pack that she had been laying next to and backed up into a corner, looking frightened. Merlin stood slowly, remembering Freya's exact same reaction.

"What's wrong?" he asked slowly, holding up his hands. "I won't hurt you." He walked up to her and slowly reached for one of her hands. She froze as their skin made contact and he pulled her out of the corner. With his other hand he took her pack and set it down again.

"There's nothing to be afraid of here," he said softly, holding her hand in both of his. He felt very protective of this girl, and couldn't explain to himself why.

"I'm Natalie," she said, looking down. Her voice was strong but gentle, as if she were still afraid. She was looking at his hands on hers and he let go.

"Merlin," he replied, stepping away from her self-consciously. "I'm sorry, I was just worried about you-"

"It's okay," Natalie said quickly, reaching down and protectively snatching up her pack. "You startled me, is all. I don't even know what I'm doing here!"

Merlin cocked his head to the side.

"Why did you come to Camelot?" he asked curiously. She sighed, emotions flashing quickly across her face. It landed on sad.

"My guardian told me to come here," she said dejectedly, "right before she died. I don't know why, but I'm here now and I've no idea why. I've got nowhere to stay, nothing to eat..."

"You can stay with us, of course!" Merlin offered, instantly hopeful. "Gaius, do you mind?"

He turned around but Gaius hadn't been paying attention. As Merlin watched he whipped open the door and there stood a girl Merlin recognized instantly-Keli, a servant in the kitchens who also could be found snooping in other people's business much of the time. She appeared to have been listening at the door and she stood up straight as the door opened, looking guilty but happy. Gaius gestured for her to come inside and she did, throwing a teasing smile at Merlin.

"Merlin has a crush on you," she said plainly to Natalie, who blinked. Merlin turned pink, completely embarrassed. Stupid Keli and her eavesdropping.

"I-um..." he said lamely, smoothing down his hair and grinning bashfully.

"Can we help you today, Keli?" Gaius asked politely.

"I just saw Prince Arthur carry her inside, and I wanted to make sure she was okay," Keli replied brightly. "I heard you need a place to stay. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind, how would you like to stay with us?"

Natalie looked back at Merlin for a moment, and of course that didn't escape Keli's notice.

"Our home is on the other side of this building, it's not far," she said enthusiastically. Natalie looked down at her pack and back at Keli.

"I don't have anything to offer," she said. Keli shrugged.

"You can help me or Merlin, there's a big feast tomorrow for the king's birthday and we could use anybody's help if they are willing."

"Consider it my payment then," Natalie replied, smiling. "Thank you for the offer!"

Keli waved a hand dismissively.

"I've been wanting to share gossip with another girl for awhile now," she said excitedly as they walked out of the room. Natalie looked over her shoulder at Merlin, who grinned as she left his sightline.

"If we aren't careful, she might discover your secret, Merlin," Gaius said sternly about Keli. Merlin didn't reply; he was still grinning and staring at the spot where they had left. Gaius stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before cracking a smile.

In a very serious voice he said, "King Uther married your mother and he found out about your magic from his trusted advisor the Dragon and now's going to kill you with a banana."

Merlin nodded absently. Gaius chuckled at his cleverness before closing the door so they could talk.

***cheers* yay, it didn't distort! Hope you guys are liking it so far, in the meantime I might start posting some of my other stories on here, as well. :) Thanks for sticking with me!**


	6. The Feast For Uther

**Ah, one of my favorite chapters. The end is just the best thing ever, I can totally see what happens in my story happening on the screen! But here's a chapter for you…the emotions between Natalie and Merlin are about to get bigger… :)**

**Enjoy!**

**The Feast For Uther**

Natalie stared out the window at the breathtaking city. Tonight would be the feast and her first official job to repay Keli for her generous offer, but more important things were on her mind right now.

She missed her old home and the life she had there. Here in Camelot she felt like a spy, a sorceress hiding inside Camelot itself! However, she wasn't the only creature of magic, Merlin was hiding as well…

"Natalie?" Keli broke her out of her thoughts and Natalie turned to face her new friend.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I've been thinking that you need a suitable dress for tonight," Keli said with a grin. "So, I've devised a plan to get you something."

Natalie raised her eyebrows.

"And what is that?" she asked cautiously. Keli's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"It's a surprise!" she answered stealthily, grabbing Natalie's hand. "Come on!"

Natalie was dragged from the window and to the front door. Keli opened the door and they stopped abruptly before they ran into a good-looking young man dressed in full chain mail armor complete with a flowing cape. He was handsome with curly-brown hair and piercing blue eyes that looked quickly down at the flowers he was holding, and back at Natalie. He blushed, shoving them into Keli's hand.

"This is for…um…I came to ask for—sugar!" he said quickly, his face reddening. Keli looked back at him with a smile on her face.

"We're fresh out," she said dreamily, and the knight nodded quickly.

"I will…see you at the feast, then," he said, before strolling off. Keli let go of Natalie's hand to grab a cup and fill it with water for the flowers. After she was done she waltzed back to Natalie's side.

"Who was that?" Natalie asked curiously.

"Sir William," Keli replied with a smile. Then she saw Natalie's knowing expression and she looked back at the flowers.

"They're payment in Camelot!" she declared weakly.

"Of course," Natalie answered. Rolling her eyes, Keli pulled her along again through the door and down the hallway, the same way to Merlin's house. Hopeful to get a glance of him, she was disappointed that the door was closed. Keli giggled.

"He's Prince Arthur's servant, as well," she explained. "Poor Merlin never gets any rest."

"Poor Merlin," Natalie echoed, secretly wondering what he would be doing that evening at the feast and whether or not she would see him.

They left the tower and headed towards the citadel, Natalie noticed. The entire time Keli kept up a stream of conversation that she was only half-listening to.

"What is Merlin like?" she asked suddenly, bringing Keli's conversation to a halt.

"Merlin?" Keli repeated, smirking and rolling her eyes. "I don't even know where to begin with that boy."

"Then start at the beginning," Natalie suggested. "How did he become Prince Arthur's servant? Why does he live with the Court Physician?"

"From what I can tell, Gaius and Merlin's mother were friends a long time ago," she said. "Before Uther banned magic, even! Merlin's mother left and raised him in a little town called Ealdor over in King Cenred's kingdom. A few years ago she sent him here to help Gaius." Keli rolled her eyes. "He saved the Prince's life from a sorceress and the King rewarded him by making him Arthur's servant. They're actually funny together, Arthur and Merlin. They're complete opposites, but they both are very brave."

"Brave?" Natalie said as they entered through a small door that apparently led to their destination, "Why do you say that?"

"Everywhere Prince Arthur goes, Merlin follows," Keli answered. "That includes suicide missions that none of the other…knights would dare go on." She turned pink at the mention of 'other knights' and Natalie winked.

"But Prince Arthur is always saving Merlin's life because he's so clumsy," Keli concluded. Natalie was silent in thought as they took a flight of stairs up into a corridor in the castle.

To be honest she was surprised about Merlin. If he was a sorcerer why would he hide under the king's very nose by pretending to be a clumsy servant for the Prince? She couldn't make much out about his real identity.

Keli directed them right and up a secluded set of stairs. Natalie noticed how she looked around sneakily before entering the room before them.

Once inside Natalie looked about herself in wonder. The room was spotless and tidy; a beautiful canopy bed sat centered on a back wall with the sheets tight and unused. There were windows that sprayed the late afternoon sunrays across the room. There were two intricately-carved cupboards and a matching writing desk sitting neat and forlorn in the sunlit haze.

"Whose room is this?" she asked curiously. Keli turned around to face her, looking slightly guilty.

"It used to be the Lady Morgana's," she admitted. "Nobody goes in here anymore because of the painful memories it contains for our king."

"Why?" Natalie inquired.

"The Lady Morgana was an evil sorceress who almost overthrew Uther's rule," Keli said softly. Natalie froze.

"No wonder the king hates sorcery," she mumbled. "But why are we in here?"

At this Keli led her to one of the cupboards and opened it up. Inside, to Natalie's amazement, were dresses: fancy ones, colorful ones, dull ones, plain ones. She started to smile, and Keli picked one out for her. It was light blue with lace, long sleeves that widened at the wrists, a low-cut top, and a flare at the waist that flew out to surround the ankles.

"This one should work," Keli said happily, handing it to Natalie. "Not too noble but more than a servant's dress!"

She helped Natalie into the dress and together they looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"You look perfect!" Keli said excited, turning to face her. "And I know Merlin will like it!"

Natalie blushed.

"Now it's your turn," she told Keli. "For your knight."

They had fun for most of the afternoon sorting through Morgana's dresses until Keli looked outside as the sun began to set and she dropped the dress she was holding.

"It's almost time!" she said, grabbing the dresses off the floor and stuffing them back into the cupboard. She had chosen a light lavender dress that had a white lace border; Natalie told her that she looked stunning.

The girls hurried out of the chambers and Keli led her to the dining room for the celebration of the king's birthday. When they snuck into the hall, the room was already packed full of people, to Natalie's dismay. She hated crowds! They weaved through the servants and nobles until they reached a corner with a door where people were carrying trays full of food and wine for the occasion. Keli grabbed a pitcher of wine and gave it to Natalie before grabbing one for herself.

"Don't worry," she said as they worked their way to the tables, "In a few hours everyone will be drunk and we can sneak out."

Natalie still worried as they made it to the tables. People had begun to sit down and Keli showed her to pour wine into every goblet. Natalie did so and looked around for Merlin as she did so. He was nowhere in sight.

The nobles were all sitting now and the door at the entrance opened. In walked King Uther, looking mighty with his crown and red, billowing cape. A sword hung on his belt, but she guessed it was only for decoration. The King walked to the head table and sat down, followed by a young man who must have been Prince Arthur. Merlin walked in unnoticed behind the Prince. She saw Arthur glance once at his servant before sitting down. It must have meant that he wanted wine because Merlin stole Keli's pitcher and poured him a large goblet-full. Arthur took the cup and stood, raising for a toast.

"To my father, the greatest King Camelot has ever known," he said loudly. "He has taught me many things. He has shown that with him as our leader, Camelot is undefeatable, in the minds of all our enemies."

He looked pointedly at the nobles and they all stood.

"To the King," Arthur shouted.

"To the King," all the nobles shouted back. Then they all drank deep from their goblets and Natalie began to pour again.

**Raise your hand if you saw Bradley James shouting 'To The King!' everybody! *is satisfied* I'm very proud of this chapter. :) Very proud.**

**Who knows, I might just keep updating cos I'm bored. Do you love me now? This is my cure for boredom!**


	7. The Moon & The Night

**The cookies are still burnt so I thought I'd give you another chapter to satisfy your hunger instead. :) This chapter is the *dum dum dummmmmm* beginning of some very beautiful but Romeo/Juliet style romance. I know, I'm a whumper. But you don't know that yet. *uses mind control* You know nothing…..**

**Didn't work? Oh well, lol. Enjoy this chapter!**

**The Moon & The Night**

It was just as Keli had promised: about two hours later, the nobles, including the King and Prince, were too drunk to order the servants around. Prince Arthur had gotten hold of a pitcher of wine and was drinking it right from the jug, and Uther was strangely laughing at something on his plate. Natalie looked for Keli, but realized that she had mysteriously disappeared. Taking a closer look she noticed that the handsome knight Sir William was absent, as well. Carefully, Natalie set her pitcher down and began to walk away.

"You!" Uther called, and she froze, slowly turning around. He was pointing a finger at her and frowning.

"Yes, my lord?" she asked shakily, thinking he somehow knew about her sorcery. Uther drummed his fingers on the table.

"Have I seen you before? You look…familiar," he said. Natalie shook her head.

"No, my lord. I am new to Camelot," she replied.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Natalie, my lord."

Uther frowned for a moment, but then something else caught his eyes and he turned away, starting to laugh again.

A hand touched Natalie's arm and she jumped, turning her head to see Merlin standing next to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his expression concerned. She nodded, and he took her hand instead.

"Come on," he encouraged. "Let's wander."

He led her out of the room and she was surprised as they passed numerous servants and drunk couples in the corridors.

"Does this happen all the time?" she asked, and Merlin nodded.

"Every feast," he replied, grinning. They walked in silence, hand-in-hand, passing fewer and fewer couples. Natalie giggled as they passed Keli and Sir William making out for the entire passerby to see. Merlin looked at Natalie knowingly and they turned into a (thankfully) empty corridor.

"Where are we going?" Natalie asked curiously as she shivered. There was a draft going down this corridor. Merlin noticed her shivering and he took of his jacket, offering it to her. She accepted it gratefully, draping it around her shoulders.

"I like your dress," Merlin complimented shyly, and Natalie smiled.

"Thanks," she returned. He took her hand and blushed again. They walked in silence for another couple moments before he tugged her hand and led them to a set of circular stairs. They walked up the stairs, both out of breath by the time they reached the top, but the climb had been worth it.

The open night air was cold but pleasant, and Natalie breathed in a breath of fresh air as she and Merlin walked over to the edge of the tower.

"What do you think?" Merlin asked enthusiastically.

"I'm…speechless," she replied softly, resting her arms on the ledge of the tower. He followed her gesture and they stared out at the oblivious sleeping city. Natalie chose this time to think about the man next to her. She knew that he was a sorcerer in disguise but he didn't know that she was exactly the same. He didn't know that he owed his life to her, and she didn't know if she wanted him to know.

Merlin moved closer to her so that their arms were touching. She felt him shiver.

"Do you want your jacket back?" she offered politely.

"No, that's okay," he turned down instantly. "You are much more important."

She smiled slyly and turned her head to face him.

"And now you have an excuse to cuddle," she teased. He blushed but didn't move away. She didn't either and they stared at each other for a heartbeat. Then he moved and before she could blink she felt his lips press to hers, briefly and sweetly.

When he pulled away Natalie gazed into his shining blue eyes. She almost told him right then and there; her mouth opened to say "I'm a sorceress and I saved you and I know you have magic too" but she changed her mind at the last moment. She closed her mouth and returned the kiss, feeling a raw hunger crawl to the surface from her subconscious of desire. The jacket slipped from her shoulders and fell, forgotten, on the ground as they turned their bodies to face each other and wrapped their arms around each other.

When they broke it off this time they quietly returned to their prior positions. Natalie shivered and realized that she had dropped his coat.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, leaning down and picking it up. She used her hand to brush off the dust and handed it back to him, blushing. He took it but, smiling teasingly so that his eyes sparkled, put it back around her shoulders.

"You don't need to worry about my clothing," he said mock-seriously. "I'm not a prince who is going to punish you for dropping my coat."

"Besides, it was your fault!" she accused with a grin. Merlin pretended to look offended.

"It's not my fault! You were the one who was cold in the first place so I gave you my jacket and became cold myself so I had to move closer to you!"

"You brought me up here in the first place," she countered. They looked at each other and burst out laughing; their hands unconsciously closed around each other.

Gradually they fell silent and Natalie was just wondering what to say next when Merlin spoke.

"What happened to cause you to faint?" he asked curiously. She blinked, surprised by the sudden seriousness of the moment.

"I…I don't know," she lied, looking down. To be honest, she knew she had strained her abilities with magic. By pulling the magic chain apart and curing Merlin in the same day, she had exhausted herself in her fast attempt to get away so she wouldn't be caught as a sorceress, and had slipped into the blanket of unconsciousness.

She could tell that Merlin didn't believe her but neither wanted to ruin the moment, so she changed the subject before he could ask any further questions.

"I'm glad that my guardian sent me here," she said softly, smiling up at him. He wasn't that much taller than her, but the differences in height was just enough so that she had to tilt her head up just slightly to look at him properly.

"You are?" he asked, smiling hopefully.

"Camelot is…different than I expected," she answered. "It's colorful, full of life…and it has you." She looked down shyly again, blushing. She did like Merlin very much, and she wished that she had the courage to tell him that she knew, and that they were the same.

"I'm glad you came here, too," he said, pulling her in closer. "You're so…"

"What?" she looked up at him, hope bursting through her heart.

"Beautiful," he whispered, capturing her lips again in a sweet, slow kiss.

Natalie hoped that the night would never end.

**End notes: JUST TO CLARIFY, nothing other than kissing happened, I know I was rude and didn't explain, but that's the way that the chapter had to end, *shrugs* sorry about that. :) Next chapter we reach a SHOCKING moment, so hang onto your seats and strap yourselves in, it's going to be a bumpy ride! Muahaha, love quoting Harry Potter!**

**Just on a side note, I'm very disappointed because HP7 part 1 was supposed to come out today, right? So I went to wal-mart to buy it, but IT WASN'T ON THE SHELVES YET. Talk about disappointment…**


	8. A Forbidden Drabble

**Okay, first of all, for those who don't know,**

**Drabble (def): N. An unbelievably short chapter or story that isn't even remotely close to being called either.**

**Muahaha, I learned about these whilst on my other fanfiction site, and decided to have a couple fun/meaningful drabbles. This one falls under 'fun.' :)**

**Just to warn you guys, my chapter titles for drabbles will have the word 'drabble' in them so you can find them.**

**More real chapters on the way! Enjoy!**

**A Forbidden Drabble**

"We shouldn't be showing our emotions to each other," William said, gasping as they broke apart. Keli had once thought of this, too, but right now she didn't care about the 'rules' of Camelot. She knew her heart and all it wanted was the world to know of their relationship, no matter how shameful it looked.

She pressed her lips to his again, running her hands through his curly hair. He didn't object anymore, and when she heard a giggle she recognized, Keli smiled against William's lips and peeked an eye open to see Natalie and Merlin's retreating backs.

'Just you wait,' she thought to Natalie, 'Merlin will make his move soon.'

Then she forgot her friends entirely and paid attention to her shining knight.


	9. Everything Changes

**Dear readers, may I present….A REAL CHAPTER! LOL sorry about the drabble, couldn't help myself. But now we find out some shocking information that even I didn't see coming when I was writing this! But if you look closely the seeds were sown in 'The Moon & The Night…'**

**Well, enjoy!**

**Everything Changes**

Uther Pendragon woke in a cold sweat, and he sat upright in his bed. His eyes were wide as he saw Gaius walk into his chambers with his daily tonic.

"Gaius," he said in a gasp, and his friend and Court Physician looked at him, raising an eyebrow at his expression.

"Sire," he greeted, setting the tonic on the stand next to the king's bed.

"I feel as if I've seen a ghost," Uther said breathlessly. "At the feast last night."

Gaius stood next to Uther and said nothing.

"She reminded me so much…of Lady Rebekah," Uther whispered. Again Gaius was silent, so he continued. "Surely you must have seen her! Same hair, same eyes, same smile…"

"Indeed, I noticed the girl," Gaius answered quietly. "But she is too young to be Lady Rebekah."

Uther thought for a moment, and another idea dawned upon him.

"If it isn't the Lady Rebekah, it must be her daughter Natalia," he concluded, getting out of bed. "I must see her in order to prove this momentous occasion. I need to dress—"

"I must warn you, sire," Gaius interrupted, following Uther's pacing, "we do not know where she has been or who she has been living with, I think it would be wise not to rush anything—"

"Nonsense!" Uther scoffed as he rummaged through his wardrobe. "If she is a Lady of nobility then she will respect her king. Now, do you know where she is?"

Gaius didn't say anything. Uther turned around and caught the guilty expression on his friend's face.

"Where is she, Gaius?" he asked, watching him closely. Gaius looked at him very seriously.

"With…Merlin, sire."

Uther looked at Gaius, who clearly looked like he had just spilled a huge secret. This could only mean one thing.

"Guards!" he shouted and the doors to his chambers opened again, revealing two men with spears.

"Find the boy Merlin and the girl calling herself Natalie. They are to report to me at once!"

The men bowed and exited, and once again Gaius said nothing.

A knock on the doorframe to hers and Keli's room woke Natalie with a start. She had been having a very good dream filled with Merlin and so when she first opened her eyes, she thought she was still dreaming.

He was beaming and looked very happy as he leaned against the doorframe and met her eyes.

"I thought I would stop by," he said, and she woke up for real. He was really here, and last night's kissing had really happened! She beamed back.

"I'm afraid I can't leave my bed," she said teasingly. Merlin frowned.

"Why not?" he asked, wandering over and sitting on the edge of the bed. She pulled the covers up to her neck.

"I'm in my nightgown," she said simply and instantly he blushed.

"Sorry," he said, starting to stand up again. She grabbed his hand and he stopped, slowly sitting back down. Natalie leaned forward and urgently pressed her lips against his. He responded instantly, seeming to take control of the moment. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her closer, opening his mouth. His tongue pushed her lips apart and their tongues met in a heat of passion. Merlin moved so they were laying down and he was on top of her, every inch of him setting her on fire. Natalie unconsciously ran her hands through his raven-black hair, at the same time trying to be as close to him as possible. She felt something else against her and gasped as a wave of desire swept over her. Her hands found his belt and undid it; the belt clattered to the floor, forgotten. Next came his shirt, and when her hands found his bare skin she found his chest to be warm compared to the icy morning air. His mouth crashed back onto hers before he kissed her cheek, her neck, and lower. She was still wearing her nightgown, which was low-cut so he planted a kiss on the top of her breast. He moved to straddle her and lifted her so he could undo the buttons on her dress. This pushed them even closer and she moaned as his groin brushed against hers.

There was a loud knock on the door and they froze, staring at each other and glancing at the door. Merlin had gotten one button undone and he hastily turned back into the role of servant, redoing the button and searching for his shirt and belt. Natalie thought dryly to herself of her luck—who would be knocking on that door, anyway?

Merlin had just slipped on his shirt and was picking up his belt when the door burst open and in marched a couple of guards.

"Your presence is required in the name of the King," a guard said. Natalie pulled the sheets up to her chin again.

"I will need to dress first," she said softly, and they nodded, walking back outside.

Merlin finished putting his belt on and he grinned at her.

"Can't imagine why the king would want to see you," he said, smiling and leaning towards her. He planted a kiss on her lips and leaned back. She could tell her lips were as swollen as his looked, and she smiled at him.

"Turn your back," she ordered teasingly, getting out of bed and reaching for one of her gowns. Merlin complied and turned his back. When she was finished he offered his arm and she took it, beginning to think that her guardian had been right to send her to Camelot; there was no place right now that she'd rather be.

They followed the guards to the throne room of the citadel, and another pair of guards opened the doors for them. Natalie and Merlin entered, and he dropped her hand so they didn't draw too much attention to them together. They walked towards the king and when they reached the throne both inclined their heads respectfully.

"Look at me," the King commanded, and Natalie raised her head. Their eyes met and in Uther's she saw a flash of recognition. He stood up straight and eyed them both. Then he pointed at Merlin.

"Seize him," he commanded. All at once there was a commotion as Merlin was grabbed from behind by the two guards. Natalie reached for his hand but missed and the guards held his hands behind his back.

"What's my charge?" he asked wildly, and Uther glared at him.

"Your charge is inappropriate contact with nobility," he declared. Merlin's eyes grew wide with comprehension and horror as he turned his eyes to Natalie.

"I…I am not of nobility, sire," she said, her voice quivering. "I am nothing but a peasant!"

"You are not a peasant, child," Uther said, his voice turning gentle as he stepped towards her. "You are the daughter of Sir Jared and Lady Rebekah Tirst. You look exactly like your mother," he said, as if amazed by the connection. "You are Lady Natalia, only remaining heir to the Tirst family."

Natalie almost broke down and screamed right there. She was a sorceress, a girl who had wandered to Camelot on her guardian's words, not an innocent noble!

"That…cannot be, my lord," she insisted.

"Nonsense," Uther said boldly. "Lady Rebekah and her infant daughter Natalia went missing eighteen years ago, and you are the right age." He stopped and caught her gaze. "You are Lady Natalia."

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't hurt Merlin," she begged the King, "He didn't know of his wrongdoing!"

Uther eyed Merlin with distaste.

"Nevertheless, you are nobility, Natalia, and he needs to be taught a lesson. Boy! Come here!" he ordered, and the guards pushed Merlin forward. His eyes were fixed at Natalie and his expression was one of worry. He stopped a few feet short of the King and Natalie, waiting for his orders like a good servant. A tear spilled over her eye and rolled silently down her cheek.

"Kneel," Uther ordered. Merlin got on his knees. He still looked at Natalie, but at the King's order his expression turned to one of defeat. He had given up.

"Bow and beg for her forgiveness."

The tears were pouring down Natalie's cheeks now. Merlin broke their gaze and tilted his head respectfully downwards. When he spoke his words carried an eerie calm that slightly frightened her.

"I offer my most sincere apologies, my Lady," he said quietly. "My actions were unforgivable. I will pray for your mercy."

Natalie closed her eyes, pained almost to the point of nausea.

"Take him away," Uther said, satisfied, and Natalie's eyes flew open. Uther stepped in front of her and peered at Merlin.

"Two weeks in prison without food should remind you of your place in my kingdom, boy," he said, blocking Merlin's face from Natalie's sight. She put a hand to her face and quietly sobbed. Uther had the guards grab Merlin again and they took him away. Then the King, seemingly oblivious to her tears, clapped his hands and smiled.

"You will learn the responsibilities of being a noble in Camelot very fast," he said to her, walking back to his throne. "I will hold a feast in your honor tomorrow evening."

At this he dismissed her and Natalie had no choice but to follow a maid to her new room, which would end the life of Natalie forever and birth the missing Lady Natalia Tirst.

**Well that kinda came on suddenly! To defend Uther's personality in this chapter (he's a little bipolar), he remembers Lady Rebekah Tirst with the highest regards, and probably looks at Natalie/Natalia as the prodigal daughter. He has lived in safety with a woman in his courts for the longest time, and his mind concludes that this is necessary, which is why he doesn't even question whether or not Natalie might NOT be who he thinks she is.**

**Now that I've thoroughly confused you, how about a Robin's Egg whopper for Easter? Whoops, just ate the last one… ;)**


	10. Arthur's Drabble Dilemma

**May I present…Drabble number 2! Fortunately this one is just a very short chapter, because it actually has information, so this is more of a plot line transition for Arthur.**

***Eats Robin Egg whopper* so I found some more! Want one? *hands pink one over* There are too many pinks, and even more blues!**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

**Arthur's Drabble Dilemma**

The door to the throne room burst open and in walked an angry Prince Arthur. The King looked up from his conversation with a knight, saw his son, and held up a finger to the knight. He faced his son.

"Arthur, you must have read my mind, I was just about to send for you," Uther exclaimed. Arthur crossed his arms.

"What have you done with Merlin?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes at his father. Uther's mouth tightened into a determined thin line.

"He stepped out of bounds and had inappropriate contact with nobility," Uther announced, crossing his arms in exactly the same fashion as Arthur.

Arthur's mouth dropped open.

"But who would Merlin—?" he began to question but the King held up a hand and looked to the side, gesturing for somebody to walk over. Arthur looked at the newcomer, a beautiful girl with silky brown hair, enchanting brown eyes, and a figure complimented by a slim, blue dress and sparkling jewels. She looked familiar…

"Hang on," he said suddenly, "you're that girl! The one who fainted in the lower town!"

She said nothing, and Arthur noticed that she looked upset.

"This is Lady Natalia Tirst, last of the Tirst family," Uther told Arthur. "She looks just like her mother." He smiled at Natalia, but Arthur wasn't paying attention to that. He had just connected the dots.

"You and Merlin?" he burst out unintentionally, and she blushed scarlet.

"Yes," the King answered for her. "As punishment, your servant is serving a two-week sentence in the dungeon. Until then, find another servant to do your bidding."

Arthur looked back at Natalia, who now looked as if she were going to burst into tears, and he realized that she had never meant to get Merlin in trouble. He nodded his head slightly to her, and then bowed to his father before leaving the room.

**So the seeds are sown! This has been bothering me though…is 'dilemma' spelt with 2 m's or an 'm' and an 'n'? Cos I always thought it was 'dilemna,' but Word says "nuh, uh. Learn to spell."**

**:) Answers in the review, please!**


	11. Against All Odds

**Once I get started, I just don't stop, lol! I'm back from my twenty-minute posting another story and messing with my profile to give you another update! Is it the last one today? Maybe, maybe not. But if I don't slow down updating you guys will be waiting again and I'll have to learn how to make not burnt cookies…**

**Anyways, Natalie, like the in-charge leader she is, decides to sneak and see Merlin. Hope you like this!**

**Enjoy!**

**Against All Odds**

A knock came upon her door, and Natalie silently left the warmth of her plush bed to answer it. On the other side of the door was Keli, who Natalie quickly ushered in before shutting the door behind her.

"Everything is ready," Keli breathed, shooting a look of pity at her friend.

Natalie had lived the life of the Lady Natalia Tirst for three days now. The first day she had spent crying, not believing her fear at being discovered by the King, who she was now closer than she ever wanted to be with. She knew his hatred of magic, and she knew the story of the Lady Morgana and her mistakes with magic that gained her access to the royal crown and position over the entire kingdom of Camelot.

The second day, Natalie had become very angry and stubborn. She refused to leave her room, not even to eat, and she had spent the entire day in solitary peace, trying to determine what emotion would strike at her next.

The third day, today, she had become determined to see Merlin. Three days had already seemed like a lifetime to her since she had held his hand, found a friend and maybe a lover in the sorcerer/servant. She had enlisted the help of Keli, who had been itching to stir up some kind of trouble, and Prince Arthur, who had only agreed once he heard the story of their being together. Arthur didn't agree with Uther, and had told Natalie that he didn't like to see his servant suffer, either.

And now, with the help of her newfound friends, Natalie was going to break her first law as a Lady of Camelot. She reached for Keli's hand, suddenly nervous. What if they got caught? She didn't want to get herself in trouble, let alone her friends. If the prince got in trouble, she might as well have turned herself in as a sorceress then and there.

But there was no backing down now, and so she took a deep breath, grabbing her new, velvet blue cape and tying it around her neck. She was ready.

Keli led her from the room and through the empty corridors of the castle. Natalie was no longer afraid of what might become of her and her friends, because right now it seemed like they were the only people in the world. They were invincible, and the plan would go swimmingly.

The prince was pacing around a dark corridor when Keli and Natalie found him.

"It took you long enough," he muttered, although he didn't look angry at them for being late. Natalie looked around at where the dungeons might be, and Arthur pointed down a hallway that had a stairwell at the end.

"Now, here's the plan," he started in a whisper. "I will get rid of the guards, but it won't be for long. When I give the signal, you can sneak in, Natalia, and talk to Merlin. Keli, you will stand outside the dungeon, and when I say, you two need to make yourselves scarce very fast. I can maybe stall for another minute or so, but if you don't go quick enough, you will be caught."

Natalie nodded, and Keli looked excited.

"There's a secret passage through the wall in the armory. Keli knows where that is. I unlocked it, so it's open and you two can sneak out. Once you're outside, you'll need to sneak back into the castle unseen. Does that sound okay?"

Keli nodded, and Natalie trusted her judgment, so she followed suit. Arthur nodded as well, satisfied with his well-laid-out plan.

"Good luck, Natalia," he said.

"My name is Natalie," she emphasized, enunciating the difference in sound. The prince looked taken aback for a moment, but then he cleared doubt from his expression and inclined his head to let her know he understood.

At that, Arthur snuck down the hallway with the two girls at his heels. He motioned for them to stay back as he descended the staircase, and Keli pulled Natalie behind a column as they listened.

"My lord," one of the two guards greeted.

"Your services are required at the drawbridge," Arthur said swiftly. "There has been a bit of a scuffle there, and they are requesting backup. I will take over until you return."

There was a grunt and the two guards marched up the stairs, moving quickly past Keli and Natalie's hiding place and leaving their line of sight.

"Okay, now's your chance!" Keli hissed, pushing Natalie out from behind the column. Natalie quickly dashed downstairs to see Arthur standing there with a key in his hand. She followed him to a cell and he unlocked the door, leaving it unlocked while he walked away. Natalie hesitantly walked inside.

**Oooo, do you hate me now? I'm a cliffhanger author, it's dangerous to read my stories! Muahahahaha-*dies* oh thanks fans. Thanks a lot.**

**LOL**

**Post again soon, hopefully.**


	12. Confrontation & Hallucinations

**Oh, you guys are just too nice for me to leave you hanging like that! So I decided…to give you another chapter…that is STILL a cliffhanger. In fact it's probably worse, so just turn around and walk away if you don't want to have to wait a whole DAY to read the next chapter.**

**For those of you still here, have a Robin Egg whopper and enjoy the chapter!**

**Confrontation & Hallucination**

The figure that lay on his side in a curled-up ball barely resembled the Merlin that Natalie had met and knew. His clothes were dirty and covered in hay, his hair was unkempt and sticking up at odd angles, and he was skinnier than whatever looked healthy—beyond his skinniness before this.

Still, his sleeping face was a mask of calm and peace, his face smooth and expressionless. She stared at him for a few moments before remembering the precious little time she had with him.

Slowly, so as not to frighten him, Natalie knelt next to Merlin and touched his shoulder, just briefly. Instantly he jerked awake, his eyes opening and his whole body moving away from her. He repositioned himself against the wall before he noticed that it was she. Then he froze.

"Merlin?" Natalie asked gently, feeling very concerned. What was wrong with him?

He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hands over his ears, knees drawn up to his chest.

"Just a dream," he murmured to himself, and she blinked, surprised.

"Merlin, are you okay?"

"Just a dream!" he repeated forcefully, pushing his hands closer against his ears. "You're not here! Leave me alone!" he shouted, and through his eyelids tears began to pour down his face.

Something was definitely wrong with him, and Natalie brought herself next to him, touching a hand that covered his ear ever so slightly. Still crying, he didn't move, didn't make a sound, and she gently pulled his hands down, holding them in hers.

"I'm here, Merlin, I'm really here," she whispered. "Arthur helped me get here."

Slowly his eyes opened, red and tired. He looked at her face, drank in all her features, and let out a shaky sigh. She released his hands.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"I've been…having nightmares," he said in a hoarse voice. "Hallucinating. I—I'm sorry for thinking that wasn't you."

"Why have you been hallucinating?" she asked, concerned. He shrugged, and a ghost of his usual bright smile appeared on his face.

"At least you're really here," he said, a happiness edging into his hollow voice. She didn't smile back, but reached inside the folds of her cloak and brought out a loaf of bread.

"It was the best I could do, Keli couldn't sneak too much without her parents noticing," Natalie said apologetically as she offered the small loaf of bread to Merlin. Despite its size he grabbed it and stuffed the entire loaf into his mouth, barely stopping to properly chew and swallow before he was finished.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, smiling sincerely at her. He looked a little healthier now—whether it was from her presence or the food, she didn't know. Maybe a combination of both.

"How long has it been?" he asked, looking above them at the window. "I haven't been counting, mostly sleeping and…hallucinating."

He seemed ashamed to admit this, and Natalie began to secretly think that it had something to do with his magic.

"Three days since…everything," she replied, looking down at her new gown and new cape. If there was anything that she could do to prevent everything from happening….but no, she wouldn't ever take away the chance to meet Merlin, he had already changed her life far too much for that.

When Natalie looked back up, Merlin's face was pinched slightly, as if he were in pain, but he quickly masked it when he caught her looking.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes searching for some sort of pain on his body. He shook his head.

"It's nothing," he said instantly. "I just…ate the bread too fast, I think."

At that he grabbed his stomach, turned to the side and vomited up the only food he had had since his imprisonment. Natalie watched, horrified, as he stayed on his hands and knees, waiting for his stomach to settle.

"Something isn't right with you!" she insisted when he sat back, wiping his mouth with a pained expression. He continued to shake his head, although it was half-hearted.

"I don't know what's happening," he finally whispered, giving into her pleading looks. "I've felt very faint, and the hallucinations are…starting to drive me crazy, I think."

"The faintness must be from lack of food," she said. Merlin shrugged.

"I don't know the difference, to be honest," he admitted. "All I know is that I've got a headache, I'm exhausted even though I've been sleeping and resting pretty much all the time since I got here, and I keep seeing things." He shuddered. "Terrible things, like Camelot burning, and then nicer things, like you or Arthur or Gaius or my mother."

"And that's why you thought I wasn't there when I first came inside?" Natalie asked. He nodded.

"You shouldn't be here in the first place," he reprimanded weakly, although under this tone she could tell that he was overjoyed to see her. She smiled into his eyes, noticing the light coating of sweat he seemed to be covered in. Then she frowned.

"You might be getting sick," she suggested, reaching out a hand to touch his forehead. The skin was flaming to the touch, and she gasped in surprise. He didn't look that bad!

"What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.

"You're as hot as an iron!" she exclaimed, quickly taking out a handkerchief she carried with her and using it to wipe away the sweat. "You _are _sick!"

He just smiled softly, not saying anything. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the cool stone of the dungeon wall, and Natalie felt his hand, finding it just as enflamed. She didn't know how she hadn't noticed that before.

"That must be why you're hallucinating," she said, worried beyond belief now. Briefly she thought of using her magic to find out what was going on—but something told her that Merlin wasn't ready to know yet that she had magic.

"I should get Gaius to examine you," she said, clutching his flaming hands in hers. Instantly he shook his head, eyes still closed.

"The king won't let him near," Merlin said faintly. "I'll—be okay. You should leave now, before you get caught."

As if on cue, Keli ran into the cell.

"Arthur's given the signal," she said, looking down at Natalie and Merlin. "Goodness, Merlin, you look terrible!"

"He's really sick," Natalie told Keli.

"Come on, we have to leave now!" Keli said to Natalie, grabbing one of her hands and helping her up. Merlin's hand fell back onto his lap, and he opened his eyes to smile again at her.

"I hope to see you again," he said in a wistful tone, and her heart went out to him.

"I will find some help, don't worry," she responded, breaking free from Keli's grasp and taking his hand, kissing it. "I'll miss you," she whispered to him.

"And I you," he said. Then there was no more time; the guards could be heard as Arthur chatted with them upstairs. They were about to come down the stairs, and Keli pulled Natalie out of Merlin's cell, locking it as silently and quickly as they could. Then they grabbed the keys and dashed down the hallway to the armory, just as Arthur led the guards downstairs.

"Sorry about that, I must have been misinformed," he was saying to the men as the girls darted around a corner and into the armory. They walked amongst the swords, spears, and shields until they found the door, slightly ajar, and each girl quietly snuck in. Keli closed the door behind her. Arthur would replace the shield covering the door soon.

They crawled in silence, each absorbed in her own thoughts. When they met the moonlit night, they snuck through the woods and back to the castle, waiting until the guards were walking the other direction before dashing inside.

"Where are you going?" Keli asked as Natalie started to walk a different way.

"I need to speak with Gaius, he's the only one who might be able to see Merlin and figure out what's wrong with him," she answered. Keli lost her smile and nodded seriously, walking with her friend to the Court Physician's house.

…**What? Merlin's sick? Who is this whumper author who has to be so mean to our poor hero?**

***gives a smirk worthy of Morgana* There's a reason, guys, don't worry. It actually has much significance, so don't assume I'm the absolutely worst person in the world. I've read worse whumper stories that this. :) Trust me. Cos I like pain. I eat it for breakfast!**

***JUST KIDDING***

**Actually I eat it as an afternoon snack. HAHAHAHAHAHA! ;)**


	13. Lying to a King

**Hello, everybody! :) Enjoyed my last chapters, have we? Much appreciate the favorites and reviews, I feel like I've officially joined the fanfiction family! ^_^**

**So in other news, did anybody see Bones or Vampire Diaries last night? *gasp* I'm almost done watching the latter as we speak, but that's not why you're here. *gives little overdone cookie to all readers* (I'm learning how to cook!)**

**Again I must defend Uther's gullible…ness. LOL. He seems to be overly gullible in my stories, so just bear with me and if you need to reread the chapters before to kind of help you understand then that's perfectly fine. Grab a Robin's Egg from that time period while you're at it, cos I don't have anymore!**

***shuts up***

**Okay, enjoy now! ^_^**

**Lying to a King**

When Natalie was called to the council chambers the next day, she wasn't surprised. The night before, Gaius had promised to tell Arthur of Merlin's condition so Arthur could grant an audience with the king, asking if the physician could help Merlin.

It was the sickness that scared her the most. Whatever Merlin had, it was giving him so much grief that it was driving him mad. When he hadn't recognized her….she shuddered as she hurried along the corridors, trying to push this thought away from her mind. All that mattered right now was helping Merlin.

When she reached the council chambers Natalie walked through the crowd, not noticing the bows knights and other members of the court gave her. Uther had taught her that her presence was required in the chair situated to the left of the throne, and she planned on behaving like a real Lady, for once, in order to win the king's approval for Gaius to treat Merlin.

Uther nodded to her presence, looking seemingly pleased that she knew what she was doing. Then he turned to face his son, who stood in front of him. The room fell silent.

"Father, it has been brought to my attention that my manservant has grown ill while being in the dungeons," Arthur started, looking his father directly in the eye. "I asked for an audience to inquire on whether or not we can have Gaius examine Merlin to determine the cause of the illness."

Uther leaned back in his throne, resting his chin on a fist.

"And how did you learn of this?" he asked Arthur in a nonchalant tone that gave away no emotion. Arthur's eyes flickered very briefly towards Natalie before continuing.

"It is my duty to know what Merlin is up to, because he is my manservant," he answered cleverly, and Natalie almost smiled at his bypassing of the question. "Would you grant Gaius to look at him? I do not wish to lose my servant who has been faithful for almost four years."

Uther frowned slightly.

"He is currently serving a sentence, which doesn't mean that he should be granted certain permission, whether or not he is your servant," the king replied. "Perhaps his lack of food is ailing him."

Arthur crossed his arms, looking slightly frustrated.

"Father, I wouldn't come to you if this wasn't of the utmost importance!" the prince said, his tone suggesting that no matter what Uther said, nothing was stopping Arthur from helping his servant and friend.

"Your servant should have thought of the consequences before he fraternized with nobility!" Uther exclaimed, standing up in a great sweep of his cape. "Romantic interaction between servants and nobility is forbidden, your servant should have known that since he's been working here for four years." He glared at Arthur before offering a glance at Natalie.

She said the first thing that came to mind.

"My Lord, we had no romantic interaction," she blurted out, causing the eyes of the entire audience, prince, and king to cast their gazes upon her. She looked down respectfully, before continuing.

"Merlin had an interest in me, but we never pursued anything but a friendship," she lied straight out, surprising herself a little. There was no stopping her now. "Whatever his thoughts, his actions were always that of a servant. He never laid a hand on me."

The audience seemed to be holding its breath, and eyes began to dart back and forth between Natalie and the king. Natalie imagined that the crowd was wondering how Uther would respond to his new ward, his new first lady of Camelot.

Uther was silent for a moment.

"Do you promise that you are telling the truth?" he finally asked, and Natalie nodded instantly, surprising herself when no wave of guilt washed over her. She was lying to the king straight to his face, and she was actually enjoying it! She smiled softly, as if to say that she didn't really have a reason for not explaining the details before.

"Then I suppose that the crimes against Merlin are irrelevant. Release him, and you can do with him as you will, Gaius," the king ordered. "Council dismissed."

The people walked out the doors, providing a loud buzz of conversation that would help Natalie talk to Arthur. She walked over to the prince, who was waiting for her.

"Let's go get Merlin," Arthur suggested, offering his arm to her. She looked at it, surprised, but took his arm with the grace of a true princess.

"Why all the formality?" she asked him as they walked out of the hall. Arthur continued looking straight ahead.

"I want Father to believe that you and I are bonding, and that I have been keeping an eye on you so you have to be telling the truth," he answered. They walked down another corridor, this one empty, and she recognized the area just as he led her down the stairs and into the dungeons.

The guards stood up, bowing before their presence. They were different than the guards the night before.

"The prisoner is to be released immediately, according to the king," Arthur announced, and they immediately stepped aside so they could reach Merlin's cell. Natalie tried to hold in her feelings as they neared, but still she clutched the bars of the cell as soon as they reached it.

Merlin was sitting with his knees drawn to his chest, almost exactly the same as the night before when she had left him, except now he had moved to the corner. He was sleeping again, his head resting against his knees, and as soon as the door opened Natalie snuck in first.

"Careful!" Arthur hissed, knowing that the guards were watching. Natalie didn't care too much, but knew she had to be somewhat careful if Merlin was going to actually get out of here.

She shook his shoulder gently, but this time he didn't pop his head up in surprise. Instead his eyelids fluttered, and he slowly looked up without moving his head.

"Another dream?" he asked hoarsely. She shook her head.

"Uther has pardoned you," Natalie replied, worryingly noticing the flush that spread over his face. "Gaius wants to examine you immediately, so he can figure out what's going on with you."

Merlin didn't say anything, but he didn't move, either.

"I don't think…I have the strength to stand up," he whispered. Natalie beckoned Arthur inside, who said nothing at the state of his manservant. Together they each took one of his arms and heaved Merlin to his feet. It seemed that he couldn't hold his own that well, so they carefully walked him out of the cell and slowly up the stairs, one at a time.

Thankfully, Gaius was waiting at the top of the stairs. As soon as he saw Merlin his eyebrows popped up.

"Merlin, whatever's the matter with you?" he asked as the three stopped in front of him. Merlin shook his head, looking like he was either going to be sick or pass out. Thank goodness he didn't have any food in his stomach, or Natalie would have seriously considered going the other way. Gaius led the way as they half-carried/half-walked Merlin down the corridor, down a few more, and to the servant's quarters.

Once they reached Gaius's chambers, Merlin was only partially conscious, and the physician instructed Natalie and Arthur to carry him up the stairs to his bedroom. They laid Merlin on his bed, and instantly Gaius got to work.

Natalie was kneeling next to Merlin, openly holding his flaming hand as Gaius lifted his eyelids and examined them. Arthur was also in the room, but he held back. She could feel the prince's calculating gaze focusing on their entwined hands.

After about half an hour, Gaius looked stumped.

"I can't explain it, there seems to be nothing wrong with him, unless he has a rare disease I haven't heard of!" he said, sounding put-off about not being able to diagnose Merlin.

Natalie looked up at the physician.

"Surely there must be something you can do for him?" She phrased the statement as a question, letting him know that she was offering to help. Gaius shook his head.

"I can give him a tonic to help keep the pain down, but the fever he'll have to sweat out, I'm afraid," he replied. "And you must be careful, my lady, because the king will be keeping a careful eye on you throughout the rest of the week, to make sure that you're telling the truth about not having romantic interaction with Merlin."

Natalie nodded, turning her head back to gaze at Merlin. Once before, in this exact same room, she had healed Merlin with her magic, and he had thanked her without knowing her identity. Could she pull it off a second time? Could she figure out what his ailment was?

"We should probably leave Merlin to rest," Arthur said quietly from by the door. Although he spoke in a soft voice, it still resonated command, and Natalie listened, nodding to him. Like she had done the night before, she picked up his hand and kissed it, wishing she could kiss his lips instead. Then she stood up and followed the prince out of the physician's chambers.

**Bittersweet ending….again sorry for the gullibleness (I'm making it a word!) of Uther. Had to be done with the plot I'm taking.**

**Anybody wondering why I'm being so mean? Well I think in about…1 drabble some things might make sense to the Nancy Drews of the group, and everybody else will have it spelled out for them a bit later. Only problem is, I haven't finished that chapter yet!**

**Thanks guys, and keep looking for more chapters!**


	14. Mysterious Magical Drabble

**Anybody want some drabble? Okay, this one is actually important. Like I said, Nancy Drews have already figured it out, and this might help nudge everybody in the right direction. If not…give it a few more chapters to be spelled out in big capital letters. ;)**

**Mysterious Magical Drabble**

She had come to him a week before, requesting his services. When she had explained her idea he had been grimly delighted, and he told her that he had been waiting to take his revenge on Emrys for a very long time. With that single sentence, everything came into clarity.

His secret, the one that only she knew about, was larger and more intricate than she could have possibly imagined. He was not only a studier of magic, but a creature of magic—one that magic chose to represent it, like she had been chosen. But he had not confided in her, and he had shown his undying loyalty to a prince and to a king that would never allow him to be free if they discovered his true nature. Merlin was Emrys, and Emrys, although according to legend was destined to unite the lands of Albion, had fallen off the path that he needed to take and now laid his life down for a soulless king who would kill him in a heartbeat. Merlin had made the wrong choice.

And now she understood what she must do, in order to stop the sorcerer from within from protecting those she wanted to strike at most. She may have been stopped by him before, but now she was in control of him. She made the rules, and she was twisting his very being into a personality at her disposal, of her demanding.

It was only a matter of time, and Merlin, who would be Emrys no more, would be the first to fall.

**No Merlins were harmed in the making of this fanfiction. Just kidding! Muahaha! Most people know who that was, but who could the guy be that she went to see? *mystery!***

**Wait a few for the next chapter. :)**


	15. Waiting For A Change

**And…some plot change! Yay for moving forward on a story, thank you readers! I'm going to start crediting reviewers cos I've got some nice ones out there, but since I don't have the list in front of me right now, I love you all dearly! Thank you thank you thank you for reviewing a beta-less story!**

**3**

**I'd give you guys one of the ginger cookies I bought yesterday but they turned out to taste kinda funny and were really hard and gross. It appears that even when I DON'T bake the cookies they still turn out bad. :)**

**Waiting for a Change**

The next two days were a living hell for Natalie. As Merlin steadily grew more feverish and ill, she became more scared that this illness was being spawned by magic. How else to explain that not even Gaius could discover a cure?

This thought weighed on her conscience for her entire waking day, and even when she fell asleep, she was plagued by dreams where Merlin had died and she had decided to do nothing to stop it. She couldn't concentrate when she was walking, talking, or even thinking of her new, current situation as the Lady Natalia.

So when Arthur burst into her room one evening, hair unkempt and still in his battle armor from training that day, Natalie feared the worst.

The door banged open and she stood up to face the prince, whose eyes sought her immediately.

"Merlin's awake," he breathed, his voice coming out in slight pants because of his running. "He's getting better, Gaius says."

Natalie stared at him for only a slight moment before moving. She grabbed an emerald-green cloak from a table and fastened it around her shoulders and neck.

"Let's go, then," she said encouragingly, and they walked together to go visit Merlin.

She was a Lady of Camelot, but all Natalie wanted to do right now was sprint down the hallway and see Merlin. She had almost given up hope, and now she had to make sure that her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She had to _see_ him awake and better before she would be able to believe anything she heard.

The door to the physician's chambers was slightly ajar, and from inside they could hear voices talking. Arthur beat Natalie to the door and he pushed it open, striding in the door first. Natalie hesitated—for reasons she couldn't explain—and took a step in only a second later.

Instantly she got a terrible feeling that something was drastically wrong, and Natalie stopped in the doorway, reaching a hand for her head to try and combat the sudden visions she was seeing. They were all bad pictures, so bad that she didn't focus on any of them but forced her mind back to the present and the present situation.

There were people surrounding Gaius's bed while Merlin's room upstairs was dark. There was Keli with another maid that she had seen wandering around, and Gaius as well as a man who bore a close resemblance to the other maid. Then there were three knights, including the dashing Sir William who was Keli's secret lover. In the middle of the commotion, beaming and looking like he had really just recovered from an illness, was Merlin.

She wanted to dash forward and throw her arms around him, but again that foreboding feeling swept over her. She silently told the feeling to go away, because obviously Merlin had recovered! She walked over calmly, silently joining the group huddled around Merlin. He smiled brightly and listened to what everybody was saying, but when he turned his head to see Natalie, his piercing blue eyes focused on her and he smiled. This smile was different than any one she had ever seen—not polite, not teasing, but full of meaning—a meaning that she had no idea where to begin to guess it meant.

"I really suggest that Merlin needs rest right now," Gaius said loudly over the jabber of other people, and with hearty goodbyes the other people in the room bade farewell to the enthusiastic servant. During the commotion Merlin was still looking at Natalie, and he nodded with his head, signaling her towards his bedroom so they could talk in private. She did as he said and was undetected by anybody as the commotion of people left the room.

Gaius shut the door behind everybody.

"Thank goodness that's over," he said to Merlin, turning around and walking back over. "I just wish I could have known what the illness was, none of my cures worked!"

Merlin shrugged, and from Natalie's position where she was hiding behind the door, she saw him begin to stand.

"I'm actually feeling much better now," he said cheerfully. "I think I'll go sleep some more, and hopefully it won't come back."

Gaius said goodnight and Merlin walked up to his room, not walking a least bit like somebody who had just been sick. He calmly lit the lamp next to his bed, walked back to the door and closed it.

"Thank goodness that's—" Natalie began to say, but he stopped her mid-sentence by grabbing her and kissing her, while enveloping his arms around her. Natalie responded with enthusiasm, surprised that Merlin would kiss her so suddenly after his release.

"I missed you," he said softly as they still embraced. Natalie smiled into his shoulder, glad that they were together again, at last.

"I missed you, too," she answered in a whisper, feeling tears begin to form in her eyes. "Do you know what it was?"

Merlin paused and pulled back slightly. He offered her a reassuring smile.

"Must not have been lethal, whatever it was," he said, leaning for another kiss. Natalie felt her heartbeat begin to sputter, and she returned the kiss with a sweet one of her own.

After a few moments they sat on the bed and held hands. Merlin was staring at the window, and after a minute he glanced back at her and smiled, as if he had forgotten that she was there in the first place.

"I'm sorry for getting you in trouble," Natalie said, looking down at their entwined hands. "I felt so powerless, and I had absolutely no idea—"

"It's all right," Merlin insisted, meeting her gaze with a serious expression. "As long as Uther wasn't bothersome towards you?"

He phrased this as a question and Natalie shook her head.

"He treated me as if I had never done any wrong, and now he acts as if he's known me for my entire life. It's…strange," she said, her voice wavering as suddenly the feeling of foreboding returned and she momentarily lost her vision of the current surroundings, and instead her mind was filled with pictures.

It begins with a smiling woman. A flash of lightning, a torrential downpouring of rain, and a black cloud – death itself, sweeping through Camelot. The top of one of the tallest towers, two people stand – one good, one evil, she cannot see their faces…and one falls from the tower into the cloud of death below. The second is good again, the cloud stops, and the man cries.

The last image is Merlin's face, smiling just as calmly as the woman…exactly the same as the woman.

Natalie gasped and returned to the present, clutching her head as it throbbed painfully. Merlin had taken hold of her and was asking what was wrong quietly in her ear, but she couldn't speak yet. She needed to think, and now was not the time to think.

"I—I'm fine," she said shakily to Merlin, pulling quickly out of his embrace and standing up. "I need some air, I think. And some sleep. Today has been too eventful for me, I believe."

Merlin was silent, and she turned around once to meet his gaze. He looked genuinely worried. She offered him a slight smile to try and convince him she was fine, before she snuck out of his room. Gaius was laying on his side facing the wall, so she was able to sneak out without being detected. She left the servant's quarters, followed the corridors to the citadel, and finally reached her chambers. Quickly she entered and pulled the doors shut behind her, breathing heavily.

Something was definitely not right, and it must have something to do with Merlin's illness and sudden curing all taking place within the last week. She was going to find out what was going on, once and for all.

**Dum dum dummmmmmmm…..and so I am I! Let's journey together to find out what the heck is wrong with Merlin! Or is there anything wrong? Is she just paranoid? Or is Merlin actually a futuristic spy from today's time who was sent back in time to kill Arthur? LOL I'm just messing with you now. Thanks for sticking with it, and review! :)**


	16. What the Heck is Going On?

**Back again with a lovely filler chapter, but it's also very instrumental towards the story. We just follow the Prince around as he's confused by almost everything that happens.**

**:)**

**Enjoy!**

**What the Heck is Going On?**

Prince Arthur watched his manservant with a calculating eye, almost waiting to see Merlin keel over, suddenly sick again. Numerous times he had opened his mouth and almost spoke as Merlin slowly straightened up the room without a word.

It was this that made Arthur nervous. Merlin always talked; most of the time Arthur couldn't get him to shut up enough to listen to the prince's words. But now…Merlin was fixing the bed when Arthur finally found his voice.

"So…how are you feeling?" he asked in a lame attempt to sound uninterested. Merlin glanced up, obviously straying from a deep thought. Merlin smiled briefly.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks to Gaius," he said cheerfully, although the tone didn't hold all of the happiness that the overjoyed manservant usually had.

Arthur raised his eyebrows as Merlin went back to concentrating on fixing the bed. Maybe if he tried a different approach…

"Merlin," he suddenly said in a bored voice. "You're an idiot, you're pulling the mattress off too!" the prince walked over with a walk that told his manservant that he thought himself above such projects but had to step in to help Merlin keep his job. Arthur walked in front of Merlin, and yanked the sheets that were caught on the corner of his bed off.

Merlin didn't say anything, just waited patiently for Arthur to finish. When he was done, Merlin thanked him and started to leave the room.

Arthur threw his hands up, at a loss of what to say.

"What's wrong with you, Merlin?" he asked frustratingly, throwing his arms out in a questioning gesture and glaring at his servant. Merlin looked back innocently.

"What are you talking about?" Merlin asked in a voice even more innocent. It was as if he had no idea. Arthur groaned, covering his face with a hand. Then he said the words he'd been wanting to avoid saying.

"You aren't yourself," he told Merlin. "I…I guess I might be…missing your chatter and contradicting ways."

Merlin just stared blankly. Arthur took a deep breath.

"You know," he said obviously, "how you like to call me 'prat' or make up words, how we usually argue…you know!" He said it again in a wild gesture, but Merlin just shrugged.

"I thought you didn't want me to be like that," he said simply, before turning his back and carrying the dirty laundry out the door.

Arthur was stumped.

Later that day, after a frustrating archery practice and not finding one reason to yell at his manservant because everything was calmly and quietly done, Arthur decided that this was Gaius's doing. The prince stomped from the training grounds in a grumpy mood, heading for the Physician's chambers.

Luckily for him, Gaius was in a pleasant mood, dropping some sort of herb into a smoking cauldron as he walked in. When the physician noticed Gaius, he looked surprised.

"What is it, Arthur?" he asked, and Arthur knew that he could see his grumpy expression. Arthur sat down at the table, a gesture not at all like him.

"It's Merlin," he said grumpily, looking down at his feet. "He hasn't been himself since his illness. He isn't even complaining about working, or calling me made-up names!" he looked to Gaius to stress the importance of his, but Gaius just laughed.

"Maybe he's finally growing up," Gaius said with a smile, before picking up a vial of what looked like dung and dropping it in the cauldron. "He might finally have seen a reason to stop complaining about life."

Arthur ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"It just doesn't seem right," he muttered, before standing up and walking out as Gaius started humming.

Not knowing where to go next, Arthur looked at the sun and decided that Gwen would be at home, so he decided to visit her next.

When she answered Gwen looked absolutely content. She smiled and looked more beautiful than Arthur could ever describe her. With a blush Gwen invited him inside and the door closed behind him.

"What do I owe this pleasure, Arthur?" she asked in a cheery voice, and Arthur couldn't help but remember that Merlin used to sound that oddly cheerful. He turned around to face her.

"It's Merlin," he said, and instantly Gwen's expression turned to horror.

"What is it?" she gasped, but he held a hand up.

"He isn't ill or dead, don't worry," he said, instantly calming her. "It's just…he's different."

Gwen frowned thoughtfully.

"How so?" she asked.

"He isn't his usual self," Arthur stated for the second time that day. "He's doing all his chores right the first time, he hasn't forgotten anything or hasn't slacked off, he hasn't even called me a 'prat' yet today, and he isn't as cheerful."

Gwen looked at him for a moment.

"I don't know what to say," she said softly, turning and walking towards the sink. She began to wash dishes.

"Maybe his close encounter with death has made him realize how important everything is to him," she said in an even softer voice, and Arthur remembered all the times that she had been close to death. He felt a brief surge of anger before he remembered why he was here.

"But you don't think that he's acting weird?" he asked her pleadingly. "He seems so…subdued. Off."

Gwen shrugged, turning around and giving him a smile.

"I think you're overreacting, Arthur," she replied with a smile. "Don't worry, Merlin isn't dying but that had to have changed him just a little."

Looking into her face, Arthur decided that she was right – Merlin was perfectly fine, and he was overreacting.

"Thank you," he said lowly, stooping down to give her a kiss before leaving the house and heading back to the castle.

Even though he wasn't as concerned, anymore, Arthur decided that he couldn't stop teasing his manservant about every aspect about his life. And when he saw Merlin next, the prince decided with a wicked grin that he'd give that man a talking to about his large ears.

Arthur smiled.

**Did the chapter make you think, then? Good! Should have some more soon, but my posting has caught up with my writing so I'll see what I can do.**

**Sorry for the lack of cookies, I'm now on a diet. Want a carrot stick? LOL**


	17. Research Part 1

**This seem sto be a popular excuse on here, but I really did have a lot going on at school. I'm a senior this year, and I'm getting ready to graduate in less than twenty days, so please don't kill me for my lack of cookies & updating...**

**As a gift for being patient, I'm making a 2-part chapter, because I wanted to give you what I had ASAP. So here's Part 1, and expect part 2 VERY soon!**

**Research: Part 1**

The next morning, Natalie woke up after having a nightmare. She opened her eyes, gasping in surprise at the sunlight filtering through her lace curtains over the window. The dream had been that vision again, over and over, with a dark, cloudy sky filled with flashes of lightning and frightening cracks of thunder. She didn't know the significance of the dream, but the end—the worst part, in her opinion—had caused tears to begin cascading down her face. She sat up slowly, trying to wipe away the tears as she scolded herself. Only a week and she was already softening up into a princess!

As she dressed herself for the day (she refused help), Natalie thought again about the dream, and the vision she had seen the day before. Were they related in some way? She didn't know what to think...

There was a soft knock at her door and Natalie made sure she was decent before walking over and answering it. Standing on the other side was Merlin, looking worried as his eyes met hers.

"I thought I would come by to see if you were all right, you seemed out of it last night," he said with a soft voice. "Can I come in?"

Natalie paused for a moment, and then nodded, opening the door wider so he could walk by her. Then she shut the door with a final bang, and her eyes followed him as he walked over to a chair she had. Quietly Merlin touched the chair, turning his head to look out the window.

"It's sunny today," he commented lightly, his tone suggesting that he didn't want to start the conversation. Natalie swallowed; she decided to get right to the point.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't the best of company yesterday," she said softly, and Merlin turned to look back at her. There was an unreadable expression in his face again, and she hated it.

"What was wrong?" he asked, still keeping his tone polite, subdued. She swallowed.

"I got a very bad headache, is all," Natalie answered in a voice almost rudely polite; there was still something off about Merlin and until she found out what, she wasn't going to tell him she had any suspicions. "I think I may be getting ill, so I'm going to have to take it easy for the next few days." She smiled and looked away towards the door, feigning weariness. "Perhaps I should visit Gaius and ask for a remedy to cure my illness."

"Indeed," Merlin said softly. This caught her attention, although she didn't let on. The Merlin that Natalie had known would have jumped at the chance to get something for her, especially if it was for Gaius.

"In fact," she said with an increased force, "I think I will go visit him now. Would you like to come with me?"

"Sorry, I have to do some chores for Arthur," Merlin responded automatically, as if he had been waiting for some kind of offering the entire short conversation. He walked back towards the door, opening it and gesturing for her to go through. Natalie did so, and watched as he walked out after her and closed the door behind them.

"It's good that you're okay," Merlin said with a smile, although it didn't reach his eyes. "I have to go now, have a good day!"

With that he began walking the other way, not turning back once to glance at her cautious glance.


	18. Research Part 2 FINALLY!

**Hello? *hears cricket noise* Anybody there? *more crickets* Keli, cut it out. *crickets stop***

**Well, if anybody is still reading, then here I am, coming back with a diploma and a lot of work behind me. I made some new friends, lost an old friend, and gained respect for the real working world**

**Last night, I discovered that the beginning of this chapter was gone, because I got a new laptop and incorrectly transferred some things over. So last night I went on here and copied my own stories to a document and brought them over to my computer.**

**Long story shorter, I wrote a chapter. I wrote TWO, actually! But this one I owed you guys, along with a million NONBURNT cookies, an Easter egg, and some premature fireworks I can't even buy until my birthday in July.**

**Thanks for sticking with it, guys. I really appreciate it. And, to my good twitter friend miaoxner, thanks for being totally awesome! :)**

**Merlin isn't mine, although I'd love to own him if he's for sale.**

**Research, Part II**

The day was turning out to be worrisome already, and Natalie had barely woken herself up. As she quietly walked down the halls of the castle, she tried not to think of what could be wrong with Merlin, her…what did she call him? They were more than friends, this she knew. But he couldn't be considered the right man for her, so she would stick with him being a secret beau. That seemed most appropriate.

On her way to Gaius's chambers, she happened to pass over a place that seemed very familiar to her. Slowing, Natalie decided to see if her best friend Keli was home at all. Walking over to the door, she gave a tentative knock. Almost instantly – to Natalie's surprise – Keli instantly opened the door with a huge grin on her face, her mouth open to speak. Then she stopped, surprised to see who it was, and she blushed.

"Sorry, I was expecting…somebody else," she said, blushing even deeper. Momentarily forgetting her worries, Natalie laughed.

"Your heart is set with that man, isn't it?" she teased. Keli nodded her head, now smiling like a dreamer.

"He's perfect in every way," she responded with a smile, before changing the subject. "How are you doing? Are you happy that Merlin is not ill anymore?"

Then Natalie was reminded of her reason for being in this side of the castle in the first place, and her smile dropped. She twisted her hands together, debating. Should she confide in her friend?

"I was wondering if you had a few minutes to spare, actually," she said out loud. Keli nodded, leaving the door momentarily. She returned a moment later with a shawl.

"Where are we going?" Keli asked with a beam as she closed the door behind her. Natalie sighed.

"We're visiting Gaius," she replied before starting forward. It was only a few doors down, and Keli didn't respond to the way that Natalie was acting; for this, she was grateful. Natalie didn't know if she could trust her emotions to keep in check for telling the story at least once. When she talked, Natalie planned on telling all: about the dreams she'd been having, visions, along with the foreboding feeling that something was off about Merlin.

Gaius answered the door to his chambers, looking a little disgruntled.

"Who is – oh, Lady Natalia, how nice to see you here again!" he said, changing his attitude at the sight of her. "I'm afraid Merlin had early chores to do, but – "

"I'm here to see you, actually," Natalie cut him off. Her voice held more emotion than she would have liked to show, but it did the trick. Gaius sobered up his expression once more, letting her in without another word.

"It's Natalie, too," she corrected. "I hate being addressed by the name Natalia, let alone be called a lady, even if that is what the king thinks."

Gaius nodded.

"What did you need, Natalie?" he asked politely. It was only then that Natalie and Keli were able to look around at the Court Physician's chambers.

"Gaius, what happened here?" Keli asked in a shocked voice.

There were books strewn about the room, some open to specific pages and others laying on the floor with the binding upwards, as if they had been tossed over somebody's shoulder when he hadn't found what he was looking for. Gaius looked a little sheepish.

"I've been researching, actually," he said to answer Keli's question. He walked over to the table and sat down, where an untouched bowl of some disgusting concoction sat amongst a bunch of papers and a thick book. Gaius saw Natalie looking at it.

"That's Merlin's breakfast, he had to leave early," he explained. Natalie didn't respond. The physician began to page through a book, waiting for somebody to explain why the girls were there.

"Something is wrong with Merlin," Natalie blurted out. Both Keli, who had been looking at the mess, and Gaius looked up at her instantly. She continued. "I just know, he isn't himself at all. It's like Merlin is there, but…he isn't at the same time. He isn't cheerful, he isn't joking, he didn't even offer to help me with something this morning!"

It was silent for a moment.

"I know," Gaius said quietly. "That's what I've been researching."

Keli looked at them both before choosing to address Gaius.

"Have you found anything?" she asked cautiously. Natalie nodded her approval, she wanted to hear what he had found out, as well.

Gaius sighed, looking down at the page he was on with a grim expression.

"I believe I may have found it," he answered gravely. "It says here, that – "

He was cut off as the door banged open and in marched the prince.

"Gaius, you're needed – there you are!" Arthur exclaimed as he saw Natalie looking at him with surprise on her face. "I've been looking for you all over, Natalie! My father has requested the council to meet, and he wants you there, as well."

Natalie nodded, standing up from where she had been leaning over the table in anticipation of finding out what was wrong with Merlin.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Arthur asked. Gaius jumped in.

"She wanted some books on the etiquette of a noble, sire," he said quickly, closing the book and giving it to Natalie. "Here, this one looks best. Study it when you can."

Natalie looked at him and she saw that his eyes were trying to convey a message of warning. She didn't understand, but looked down at the book and assumed that it had something to do with Merlin. She turned to Keli.

"Could you take this back to my chambers, please?" she asked in a polite voice. Keli nodded, wordlessly agreeing to meet her after the meeting so they could look together. Natalie nodded at her before wordlessly leaving the chambers with Gaius and Prince Arthur.

**Now, to keep you guys even MORE happy because I finally posted, I'll give you a juicy hint: next chapter, I reveal ALL. It was cruel of Arthur to walk in when he did, but there are some crucial steps that certain people need to make, and Gaius couldn't be in on it. That next chapter is done, too, and I'll post it ASAP.**

**:) Happy again? I'm trying, here!**


	19. The Truth

**Back again, with the chapter that reveals all! :) Hello, readers, here have a piece of gum. *hands over* I'm in excess right now, because my best friend Barry got me like 10 packs of gum, along with popcorn, yummy hand sanitizer, shampoo & conditioner, and toothpaste all because I graduated! ^_^ Love that kid.**

**Anyways, this chapter should be pretty fun. Thanks for sticking with it, everybody! Leave your reviews at the end!**

**The Truth**

"Arthur, there you are!" the king said in an anxious voice as Arthur and Natalie entered the room, arm in arm. Natalie smiled graciously to Arthur as she went to her place on Uther's left and he went to the right.

"Sorry, father," the prince replied smoothly. "What news do you have?"

Uther narrowed his eyes as he began to speak.

"Last night, a couple guards saw magic being performed, here in Camelot," Uther spat, his disgust showing in his voice.

"What kind of magic?" Arthur asked. Uther waved forward a guard who had been standing with the others in the spectating crowd.

"My lord," the guard said, bowing lowly. Then he began to speak.

"It was right after I got on patrol, at midnight. I was walking through the halls and I heard a voice. It was whispering something, and I thought it might be an intruder, so I wielded my spear and turned the corner."

There was a pause.

"And what did you find?" Arthur asked. The guard's eyes widened.

"I can't remember well, sire," he answered truthfully. "I do remember a flash, something bright that burned my eyes and hindered me unconscious. When I came to, nearly an hour later, the culprit was gone."

"You see, Arthur? That is clearly magic," Uther said boldly. Natalie paled under her calm demeanor. Who was trying to get in trouble? Were there other magic-users in the castle besides her and Merlin?

"I agree, father," Arthur replied. "I shall take every measure to insure that the sorcerer is caught before he can cause more harm."

Uther nodded before addressing the crowd.

"Let it be known that any person harboring the sorcerer will also be held responsible for the crime of witchcraft," he declared. "I want the perpetrator found. Council is dismissed."

Natalie still sat in her throne, shocked. The king was as strict as she could hardly believe. The stories, she had heard from her guardian, but this…was far worse for her situation than she could imagine.

Uther turned to face Natalie.

"How are you faring today, Natalia?" he asked in a voice that was suddenly more pleasant. Natalie did her best not to cringe, and smiled.

"I am well, thank you, sire," she answered. Her eyes drifted over to the door where she saw Arthur leaving with a silent Merlin by his side. "I just hope the sorcerer is caught before he does more damage…"

Uther nodded, his expression grim.

"I've had to fight against the evils of magic for over twenty years, Natalia. One sorcerer can't bring me down," he said confidently. Natalie nodded, smiling more.

"I trust you," she responded, bottling up her emotions for later.

"I think I've found the right page!" Keli said suddenly, leaning over the book with instant fascination. Natalie sat next to her, trying to peer over her shoulder and read for herself.

"It says here that certain illnesses are a factor of magic, and can only be cured by such means," Keli read. She looked up at Natalie. "We better hope that Merlin's illness wasn't cured by magic, because that sorcerer may be the same one that is on the run now."

Natalie didn't say anything as she continued reading. This was it, she knew.

_Some types of illnesses are not illness at all, but a form of possession, or taking over a life force to use to a person's bidding. The body being possessed will emit signs of being ill, and this will force the body to become steadily weaker, until the magical forces of the user can force through the boundaries of the other person's mind. When this happens, the body is cured again, but the mind is lost._

_ Note: The more ill the body seems, the more it is putting up a fight. This is usually enhanced with elemental magic._

"Hey, this one says…" Keli started, before trailing off silently. Natalie that she now knew, as well. It was silent for the longest moment as her friend finished reading.

"Possessed?" Keli repeated, the word falling from her lips like a ball of fire to Natalie's heart. And she knew exactly who was behind it, as well. Her dreams, her visions all began to make sense. Slowly, but surely.

"Wait."

The one syllable now sounded deathly quiet, as if Keli had learned a terrible secret. Natalie sat down on the bed fully, looking down at her hands and saying nothing.

"Magic?" Keli whispered. Natalie nodded.

"What do you know of the Lady Morgana, Keli?" she asked softly. The name was like a plague, Keli paled instantly.

"She went missing for a year. She came back, and…she had changed," Keli said. "She tried to take over, and admitted to the king of her magic."

"She's behind all of this," Natalie told Keli. "I've known for awhile now that Merlin has magic, but Morgana has tried to kill him many times since I've gotten here."

"Did Merlin tell you all of this?" Keli asked in a shocked voice.

"In a way," Natalie replied with a grim smile. "But the important thing now is that we know. Morgana is possessing Merlin, but for what we don't know."

"To get to Arthur," Keli filled in instantly. "Merlin has special access to Arthur's chambers, maybe Lady Morgana means to kill him!"

Natalie jumped up, with Keli right beside her.

"That can't happen," Natalie said instantly. "Arthur can't die, he's the sole heir to the crown. The only worthy one, anyway."

"What should we do?" Keli asked, her eyes wide. Natalie turned to her.

"We need to make sure that Merlin – Morgana, I mean," she said hastily, "Doesn't try anything soon. Gaius will watch Merlin tonight because he knows, but tomorrow, one of us has to keep him in our sight, and as long as he isn't alone with Arthur, then the prince can take care of himself."

Keli stopped for a brief moment.

"Why did you trust Merlin, even though he has magic?" she asked quietly. Natalie looked at her.

"Merlin has more good in his heart than anybody else in Camelot," she replied. "Even Uther, who fears magic's evil side enough to miss its purposes for good. Merlin wields his magic to save lives, not end them."

For a moment they stared at each other, and then Keli nodded.

"I believe you," she said, before bidding Natalie good night and leaving her alone to think.

**Okay, now it's back to the drawing board for little old me! Well, I know the story now, and it's picking up, but I've got to connect what's in my brain with what I need to write. This is turning out to be an epic, I'm thinking. ^_^ By the way, possessed!Merlin is going to be a LOT like my favorite, dark!Merlin. I don't know how, but my characters decided to do this, not me. They usually write the story, and I'm just the vessel. XD**

**Thanks for reading, please review!**


	20. The Real Man Lives

**This isn't TECHNICALLY a drabble, but it is a little short. Thankfully, you'll be happy to know that I have the next chapter done, too! Getting closer to the epic finale soon, and please beware: the story could go many ways but it's getting the same ending, which I have mixed feelings about. :)**

**In the meantime, have a cookie! It's m&m, just bought it today!**

**The Real Man Lives**

Now that the truth was out, it seemed to possess every thought that passed through Natalie's head. She couldn't sleep the rest of the night, and the next morning had her on edge, as well. When she dressed herself for the day, she looked at her tired reflection and cursed herself inside for allowing herself to look this stressed. People were bound to start asking questions.

The knock that came at her door this morning sounded exactly like the one the morning before, but because she hadn't slept at all the night before, Natalie had dozed on her vanity stool. The door opened quietly, and in shuffled very familiar-sounding boots. Then a hand touched her shoulder and Natalie blinked slowly and wearily, looking up at the person standing before her.

She jumped.

"Are you all right?" Merlin asked, concern etched into his face, but Natalie didn't let this fool her for one second. Quickly she cast her eyes downward, trying to ignore the feeling of longing that she had felt with the man before he became possessed.

"My lady?"

She shook her head, standing up.

"I'm still feeling ill," she said quietly, turning her back. "Please leave me."

It was silent for a moment, but she could tell that he hadn't moved an inch.

"Please, my lady, tell me what is wrong," Merlin said again, and she turned around swiftly.

"Merlin, you are a servant and therefore have no authority in this castle over that of a royal, so please leave my chambers at once!" she demanded, a harsh tone making Merlin's eyes widen. For the briefest of moments she saw the real Merlin return, the one she could call friend – or maybe something more, and his eyes were wide with betrayal. Then Morgana resumed control once more, and his features shut down. He nodded once, curtly, before walking away. He didn't look back, and the door slammed with an echoing thud.

Natalie's heart was pounding in her chest. Merlin was still in there, then, at least she could be thankful that Morgana's possession hadn't killed him. With the fight he had put up, she doubted in the first place that he would die, and now this gave her some relief, however temporary. Closing her eyes to regain her thoughts, Natalie stood up straight and walked over to the door of her chambers.

Now only one thing mattered: getting the real Merlin back for good.


	21. Relevant

…

**I dunno right now.**

**I feel really bad for this.**

**Want some more story?**

**This is a haiku**

**To explain my sorrow here**

**I will post more SOON!**


	22. Likeness of Magic

**This will not be a long A/N, because I have no great excuse. Yes, I graduated from high school, got a summer job and am now moved in at college, but I had time. I guess making those amazing Merlin videos took up too much of my time. (Seriously, one of my videos is featured on Youtube – type in Merlin Season 4 in the search bar and mine is the second featured!)**

**So without further ado, here you guys go. It's almost done now, thanks for sticking with it.**

**Likeness of Magic  
**

"I found something…" Gaius said with a foreboding tone as Natalie looked up from her position at the table poring over a book. She saw his eyes narrow slightly, which she had taken to mean that whatever Gaius had read, it couldn't be good. She almost gulped in a comical way, but decided not to; the situation was too intense.

"What do you have?" she asked tentatively, pushing her own book away. The physician set down the book in front of her, pointing at the paragraph. As Natalie began to read, he narrated.

"This says that the only way to return a possessed soul to its normal state is to trigger the emotion of the possessed," he said. Natalie read what he had said and then looked up at him.

"How do we trigger Merlin's emotion?" she inquired. Judging by Gaius's expression, this was the bad part.

"Merlin's emotion has attuned to the happenings of Camelot recently," he said guardedly, "and because of that very few things will trigger an actual emotion from him. Most of these involve deaths of loved ones."

Natalie stared at him.

"There's got to be another way," she finally insisted, picking up the book with both hands and continuing to read. Gaius didn't say a word, but she heard as he sat down heavily on his bed with a sigh. Clearly the physician didn't believe that Merlin's emotion could be triggered in any other way. Then Natalie remembered something…

"Gaius, do you remember what I told you when I first got here?" she asked tentatively. The older man nodded.

"You told me that Merlin was still alive."

Natalie nodded, slightly more eager.

"I knew this because the real him shone through the façade that Morgana forces him to put on, but it was mostly triggered by surprise, not just emotion."

Gaius sat up straighter, looking fascinated.

"You think that we could be able to bring Merlin back by surprising him?" he guessed. Natalie nodded eagerly.

"That, at least, would be a better alternative versus killing somebody he loved," she answered. "Do you think we could do it?"

Gaius thought for a moment.

"I know I would rather give that a try than see somebody die. It would kill Merlin when he was able to think freely for himself again."

Natalie nodded quietly. She realized something else.

"I know he has magic, Gaius," she said softly. Gaius nodded grimly.

"I'm assuming you knew as much, thanks to the book I gave you," he said. "That means that you also know that Merlin's magic is very powerful. To be under Morgana's control…is very dangerous for Arthur, and all of Camelot."

"I know. I…" she stopped. Should she tell the physician? Gaius assessed her expression wordlessly.

"I have magic too, Gaius," she whispered in a voice that was barely audible. "I'm the one who saved Merlin when he was dying."

It was quiet. Natalie tried to understand what the physician was thinking without looking at him herself, but she couldn't understand anything in just the silent air.

"For that, I will be forever grateful," Gaius murmured, and she was overjoyed to hear his voice full of emotion. "I don't harbor grudges against sorcerers who practice magic for good, and not for personal gains."

"Gaius, I'm…different, though," she admitted, remembering her last night back in her village with her dying guardian. Natalie remembered the anger she had felt, and remembered watching her home go up in flames as a whip from her anger. "My magic is, I mean."

Gaius frowned, interest sparking his eyes.

"How is your magic different?" he asked carefully.

"It's…instinctive," she replied slowly. "When I'm angry, or upset, my magic guides me to places or helps me feel better. The night I left my guardian, I accidentally set fire to the house, but it somehow helped me find closure." She took a deep breath. "And then when I first arrived in Camelot, my magic guided me to your chambers here, and to Merlin. He needed help, and he has made me feel so much more comfortable here while I've had to live under the king's very nose and hide my powers."

Gaius sighed.

"Oh, the irony…" he muttered to himself as he stood up. Then he addressed Natalie in person.

"Your magic sounds like a form of what Merlin has, actually," he said in a serious voice. "He doesn't need spells or a vessel to control his magic; in fact it acts almost as instinctively as his mind. Neither are very trained to be still when they're supposed to be." Gaius chuckled.

Natalie smiled. She wanted to get to know the sorcerer Merlin better, and hoped she could when he was better. Until then, however…

They continued to talk about possible ways to expose the real Merlin without harming anybody in the process.


	23. Action and Consequence

**A/N Because I feel so bad, I'll finish up the story very soon. Maybe two or three more chapters and an epilogue to go. And then I'll begin a story that I've had in my mind for awhile, a Doctor Who/Merlin crossover. Haven't written a crossover before!**

**Merlin belongs to BBC, whether or not it's in HD. And not that I'm counting down, but 2 weeks from today episode 1 airs for the rest of the world! (It isn't like I don't know EVERYTHING about the season already… ;) )**

**Action and Consequence**

Dusk was just falling across the sky. Natalie was back in her own chambers with Keli, and the two were discussing a tournament coming up, both spent on the subject of how to get the real Merlin back. Natalie had been with Gaius researching for most of the day, except in the afternoon when Gaius had warned her Merlin usually returned around that time. After that, she had spent more time in her room thinking, until her best friend had come knocking to talk.

It was right as the sun hit the horizon, scattering into millions of facets of different color, that Natalie froze. A sharp pain ripped through her chest, swiftly and bluntly like a knife, and she gasped, falling to the ground.

She could barely hear the cries of Keli above her as she clutched at her heart, terrified and hurting. Whatever this was, it wasn't good.

"Natalie? Help!" Keli called towards the door. A few guards came rushing in at the noise, and Natalie held her breath as they helped her sit. This seemed to be good logic for less pain, but it didn't work out very well.

Through her pain, only one thing was important to her, and she didn't know why.

"The King," she gasped to the guards, who looked at her in complete shock for a brief moment before standing and sprinting out of the room. Somewhere in the distance, the warning bells began going off, and Natalie was sure that this was the end.

And then the pain stopped. A soft hand brushed her mind, as if soothing her thoughts to stop thinking of pain. Quickly the stabbing pain in her chest left her, and she was able to breathe. She did so, very deeply.

"Natalie, are you all right?" Keli asked in fright, her eyes wide and her mouth slack into an 'o' of horror. "What did you mean, the King?"

Natalie kept her lips shut, because she hadn't told her friend everything about her yet.

"I…don't know," she managed to spit through her gasping heaves. "A feeling."

Everything that she said then fell in place, and she realized what she had just felt – powerful magic, more powerful than she had ever dealt with before. And it had warned her as the inevitable happened.

She stood up quickly, clutching her friend support when she almost fell. Only one thing was on Natalie's mind now.

"Come on," she urged. "We need to see what's going on."

Keli didn't object to her seemingly insane thoughts, but followed without a word. Quickly the two girls dashed through the halls, trying to reach the king's chambers as quickly as possible.

As they turned the final corner, each girl almost out of breath, they pulled up short. The hallway was the busiest it had ever been, and from Natalie's point of view she could see that many of the people there were nobility, and all had tears in their eyes. There were some knights flitting around, pacing and looking extremely serious. Natalie could pick out Sir William amongst the others, and she looked at Keli to see her friend with wide eyes, watching her lover with rapt attention.

A door silently swept open, the one that Natalie knew belonged to the king's chambers. The hall fell silent instantly, and all faces turned to face the news that they had waited for. The person stepped into the hall.

It was Arthur, and he was trying hard to speak, to tell everybody what they feared most, but he couldn't. Natalie was able to glimpse tears falling down his cheeks before he covered his face with a hand and alerted the crowd to what exactly had happened.

Arthur walked away from the crowd, towards them, but had to steady himself against the wall. Natalie rushed over, placing a warm hand against his shoulder.

"Arthur?" she asked fearfully, and he looked up at her voice.

"I—I don't…" he trailed off, desperately wiping tears away. "Natalie, I don't—understand."

She felt her tears brim but forced them down; this had gone on long enough.

"Arthur, I need to tell you something of utmost importance," she said in a soft voice, aware that Keli was staying respectfully behind so she could speak. Arthur didn't say anything, just looked down again and waited for her to speak.

Natalie took a deep breath, ready to speak. She double checked to make sure that nobody else was around, and then was satisfied.

"It's about Merlin," she began in a rush. He looked up instantly, the alarm in his eyes evident that he had thought something was off about his manservant as well.

Just then the attention of a new person caught her gaze, and Natalie instantly stopped. The girl had wide eyes, but more as if she knew what Natalie was talking about, versus her just learning the knowledge.

When the girl realized she had been found out she began to walk away, but Natalie darted forward and took the girl by the arm. The newcomer's wide hazel eyes stared at her knowingly, as if she could read into her soul.

"Jessica?" Keli asked hesitantly from behind her, "Do you know what happened?"

The girl breathed once, twice, and turned her knowledgeable eyes upon Arthur.

"It was Merlin," she said bluntly, getting the brunt of the information out into the open. "Sire, your servant murdered your father – with magic."

There was a moment of silence where the servant Jessica didn't say another word but began to walk away again. This time Natalie let her go, her thoughts now turned to the no-longer naïve prince.

"Arthur, I need to tell you something even more important," she said. Arthur just stared at her.

"Merlin's been acting off all week," he said blankly. "And…it was to kill my father?" The words he spoke towards the end began to shudder with rage. Natalie put an arm on his shoulder, meeting his eyes.

"Merlin has magic, but this wasn't his doing," she said forcefully. The prince didn't respond. "Arthur? Are you listening?"

His eyes seemed to clear somewhat from the blind rage that he had been feeling, but his silence still irked her, and she continued.

"The Lady Morgana is possessing Merlin, because that was the only way she would be able to…perform the task," Natalie said. "You have to believe me, you –"

She stopped. There it was again, a painful feeling that began edging its way up through her chest, through her exposed heart. She took a deep breath, determined to fight the dark magic that was coursing through her from Merlin's – Morgana's spellwork. This time the magic gave her a destination.

"I know where she is," Natalie said to more herself than anybody else. But this caught Keli and Arthur's attention.

"Who? Morgana?" Arthur suddenly spat venomously, his hand reaching to the hilt of his sword. "She won't last a minute against me now."

"No, Arthur, you must wait!" Natalie said sharply, placing a hand on his chest to stop him. Keli just watched with wide eyes.

"You have to let me handle this," she said softly. "It's the only way to stop Morgana and save Merlin at the same time."

"You can't do this on your own!" Keli exclaimed. Arthur nodded too, returning his hand to his side.

"I will stand aside, but you must let me accompany you to at least be backup," he said. Natalie stared at her friends for a few moments.

She nodded. They would want to come with anyway.

"Where is he – she, I mean?" Arthur asked next. Natalie sighed.

"You shouldn't be coming with me, don't say I didn't warn you," she said with serious eyes. "Merlin's at the top of one of the towers."


	24. Suprise

**Final regular chapter! Make sure to read to the end, there's a bit of a poll at the end for you guys so you can control the epilogue. :)**

**WARNING: This chapter contains suicide/attempted suicide.**

**Merlin isn't mine, he belongs to some blond bloke who wears chain mail and fights with a golden sword – I mean, BBC and Shine. ;)**

**Surprise**

The rain whipped in her face as Natalie left the sanctuary of the tower and entered the angry world outside. It was the same tower, but that was all that remained so; it wasn't a pleasant evening, she wasn't enjoying herself, and the person with his back turned to her was not the man she knew. Her eyes stared through the rain, bleakly and grimly, because now she knew that neither could pretend they were living the truth.

"What have you done?" Natalie cried, stepping fully into the weather with a weary determination. "What has Merlin ever done to you?"

Slowly, he turned around, but the smirk on his face didn't belong to Merlin, and neither did the malicious glint in his eyes.

"You know then?" he asked in a mocking voice, and Natalie could imagine the voice of the true speaker, shining in all the glory of the horror she had just created.

"What has Merlin ever done to you?" Natalie shouted again. The smirk briefly vanished.

"He betrayed me," Morgana replied with Merlin's mouth, the lips pulling down in an angry frown. "He poisoned me, when I trusted him most!"

Morgana turned around again, clasping Merlin's hands behind his back.

"The kingdom is ripe for the picking, and it's time I came back home, once and for all," she said. "And you can't stop me."

"Are you sure about that?" Natalie asked softly.

This threw the witch off for a moment, and she turned his head slightly.

"Do not believe that you, a mere peasant of Camelot, can stop me, priestess of the Old Religion."

"Perhaps you aren't the only person here with elemental magic."

She heard the sharp intake of breath as she stared ahead; Natalie had known that Arthur and Keli would follow her, despite her warnings not to. Now they would discover the consequences of their actions.

Morgana looked shocked for the slightest moment before recomposing her features.

"Like I said, there is no way you can match my magical ability," she said calmly. The blood boiled in Natalie's head; she knew what now must be done. Outside, she kept herself in calm demeanor. Slowly she walked to stand next to the witch.

"I'm not going to prove my magical ability to you, don't worry," she said as she stared out at the rain-soaked sky which plunged down to the equally-wet ground.

"You will do nothing?"

Slowly she shook her head.

"There is one weakness with your possessing Merlin, did you know this?" she asked. It was silent, so she continued.

"I know that this one weakness isn't very easily overcome, and I know sacrifices must be made."

"Merlin's magic is too strong for there to be a weakness," Morgana scoffed. Natalie smiled.

"Are you watching, Morgana? Because that's where you're wrong," Natalie said, her heart racing as she stepped up against the edge. "Magic isn't always the only resort to find a weakness." Not in control of her expressions anymore, she felt herself smile. "Sometimes, all you need is – surprise."

With that, Natalie threw herself forward off the high tower, feeling the rain stop pounding against her and begin to fall with her. She screamed, more terrified than she had ever been. Above her, already so many tunnels of rain away, she thought she heard a scream of anguish and somebody shouting her name, but this was quickly drowned out by a loud rushing sound –

And then everything went black.

**A/N: Okay readers, now it's time for you to decide. I've been given two very gifted versions of this story for the ending – either one will be an epilogue, but I need your opinion: should this be Natalie's end, or should something happen that will save her? Please leave a review and let me know how you would like this story to go, personally I don't care as long as you guys give me your opinion!**

**So…review! It isn't so hard, just a nice blue link for you! :) Once I have at least 5 reviews, I will post the winning version of the story. ^_^**

**Have a good day!**


	25. Epilogue

**Did you guys see the synopsis for series 4 episode 6? Well, for those who don't want to be spoiled, I won't say anything. For those who know, you know why I brought it up regarding this story. ;)**

**Here we go, you guys voted and here is the resulting epilogue! Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting, alerting – can I say thanks enough? 6,310 hits, 16 favorites and 24 alerts – you guys are just way too awesome.**

**Enjoy!**

**Epilogue**

Everything came back slowly in small doses. First came the sounds: the cheerful trilling of birds as they flew around outside, the steady hum of chatter from people in the lower town, and the sound of a light snore from somewhere nearby. The sound of steady breathing reached her ears, and she realized that this was her breathing.

She was alive.

She didn't know how this was significant yet, however, because she didn't remember everything. Instead, she focused on her sight. Slowly, she blinked open her eyes. The first thing she saw above her was a stone ceiling; one looking very familiar to the one she had stayed in awhile back with Keli.

But this wasn't Keli's ceiling. It was closer to her, and smoother in texture; she would know after spending her evenings staring at said ceiling. If she wasn't in Keli's room, where was she?

The next sense she turned to was touch. It became immediately apparent to her that her hand was warm, and this was due to somebody holding it. Slowly moving her head, she looked down at her hand, following the other one holding hers up his arm and into his face.

Merlin.

This brought back everything to the forefront of her mind; Merlin had been possessed by Morgana, he had killed Uther, and she had fallen off the tower. Natalie almost gasped, but stopped herself at the last moment from making any sudden movements, for Merlin.

He was wearing his normal outfit except for the jacket and scarf; one she saw hanging up over a line in the corner, and the other – his red scarf, to be exact – was being used as a pillow beneath his head. He was sitting on a stool to the right of the bed, the one hand holding her hand and the other lying next to his head. He was sleeping but looked disturbed even there: his closed eyelids were bruises on his too-pale face, and there was a slight flush in his cheeks. He almost looked like he had a fever, but when Natalie reached out her other hand to brush his bangs from his forehead, his skin felt normal to the touch.

She concluded that it was an aftermath of being possessed by Morgana. Slowly, Natalie sat up, surprised at how normal she felt. There was nothing hurting, nothing broken, and she was wearing her nightgown without any sign of bruises or any other injuries she would have sustained upon hitting the ground. To be honest, she was surprised she was alive.

Looking over at Merlin again, Natalie smiled softly. He looked very uncomfortable, hunched over in the stool with his head on the bed. Gently picking up his hand, she put it between hers and brought it to her lips, kissing it softly. Merlin flinched slightly, blinking himself to waking consciousness. As soon as his eyes met hers, he jumped up, eyes wide.

"You're awake!" he shouted, causing her to jump herself. Quickly a grin spread across his features, and he pulled his hand from hers quickly to run over to the door.

"Gaius, she's awake! She's awake!" he practically sang, bouncing back to her, hopping on the bed and sitting cross legged across from her. He just sat there, beaming at her, as she looked on, bewildered.

"How long was I out for?" she asked him. He shrugged.

"Overnight," Merlin answered, still grinning. She let out a half-laugh.

"I've been sleeping for one night and you're panicking about it?" she teased him. His face grew serious, and he took her hands in his.

"A surprise was all you needed," he told her sternly. "A surprise. Not suicide!"

Natalie looked down.

"I was thinking on the spot, I couldn't handle my magic as well as Morgana's, and I couldn't think of anything else," she said. "If it was to save your life, then I would have done it again."

"No," Merlin answered, a harshness coming to his voice that almost made Natalie concerned that Morgana was still in charge. She looked back up with wide eyes, taking in his angry features. Upon meeting her eyes his softened.

"Natalie…" he said softly, bringing her hands closer to him. "You're important. You should never have even thought about jumping off the tower. If I had been all right, I would not have wanted to live with the knowledge that you had given your life for me." His eyes were wide, truthful, and beginning to shine with tears. "You're important too, please understand. Never do that again, promise me."

Taking in his features, his honest sincerity, Natalie could do nothing but nod. She discovered her eyes were also wet with tears, and she let out a choked laugh. Merlin copied her action, leaning forward and bringing his lips to hers swiftly.

Beyond them, there was the sound of a knock.

"Merlin, unlock the door please," Gaius said from the other side of the door. Sighing, Merlin moved away and stood up again, walking over to the door.

"_Tosprienge,_" he muttered, his eyes flashing gold as the door magically unlocked. The door then opened to reveal Gaius and Prince Arthur, the latter whose face was impassive. They both walked in and Merlin bowed his head respectfully to the prince, something that slightly irked Natalie. Then she realized he had done magic with Arthur in the vicinity. Her eyes grew wide – the prince knew.

Gaius walked over to Natalie, offering nothing short of the serious expression that he always seemed to wear.

"How are you feeling, Natalie?" he asked, setting down his medicine pack.

"I'm feeling fine," she answered absently, still watching the two friends. Arthur was noticeably not looking at Merlin, and seemed to be inching away from the other slowly. Merlin kept his head down, submissive.

Gaius gave her a quick check over before telling her pretty much the same result.

"If I may, can I ask what specifically happened…after I jumped?" Natalie asked, mostly to ease the tension from the other end of the room. Both Arthur and Merlin looked up at her. Then the prince turned his gaze, still unreadable, on the servant. Merlin pretended to ignore him.

"You jumped…and I managed to push Morgana from my mind," Merlin answered. "I was horrified at what you'd done, and I used magic to stop your descent."

And Arthur was watching. This much was left unsaid, but it was plainly in the room as if the knowledge were another person. Natalie met his gaze.

"What happened next?" she prodded the prince. Arthur looked back at her.

"I instructed Merlin to bring you back to Gaius, to make sure you were okay," he replied in a hard voice. "And then I instructed him to lock himself in his room until I came to a decision on what to do with him."

"I didn't want to leave you, so I moved you in here and locked myself in," Merlin finished. His voice was guarded now, too, and Natalie decided that she hated it. Judging by the look of it, Gaius did, as well. Merlin's eyes were flicking toward Arthur's form, but the prince gave no acknowledgement other than the cold shoulder.

"What have you decided?" Natalie asked the prince, bringing his attention back to her. "About Merlin, I mean. He saved my life, does that really deserve punishment?"

Arthur looked momentarily taken aback, at a loss of words.

"I—I mean, he used…magic," the prince said defensively. "Magic is evil."

"Oh, so I guess that means that I'm evil, as well?"

He shook his head once, still confused.

"Those who practice magic—"

"I'm going to stop you right there, Arthur," she said sternly. "First of all, Merlin and I aren't your standard sorcerers, we don't 'practice magic.' We were born of magic, and it is part of us. But you don't see us being evil." She gestured to a shocked Merlin, who apparently didn't know that she knew so much about his magic. "Morgana _possessed_ him. That means he put up a fight, and didn't want to comply. Why would you call going against wanting to kill somebody evil?"

Arthur said nothing. Merlin's face was still shocked, but hiding under the surface was a small flicker of hope. Gaius, as always, said nothing.

"I need to meet with the council," Arthur finally said, beginning to walk away.

"What is your decision regarding Merlin?" she demanded again. Arthur stopped, not turning around.

"He will not be executed, for now," he finally said before walking out. The three left in the room stared after him.

"Well that's a relief," Merlin said softly. Natalie turned her head to look at him. He looked at her as well, and they're eyes met for a few moments. Then Merlin walked back to the bed, sitting down cross-legged again.

"Thank you," he told her sincerely. She smiled.

"I should be thanking you!" she responded. "You saved my life!"

"And you stopped me from taking any others."

They stared at each other again. From next to the bed Gaius let out a cough, breaking the moment.

"I'm going to be going now," he told them loudly, swinging his medicine bag over his shoulder. "Feel free to lock the door behind me."

Merlin turned to grin at his guardian, returning to his cheerful self.

"Thanks, Gaius," he said sincerely. Natalie echoed his words with a smile of her own. The physician just left the room, his eyebrows raised comically. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the door closed behind his guardian. Even Natalie had to admit she was impressed with his magic. She found it…alluring.

So when Merlin turned around to find her practically attacking him with kisses, he didn't do much in the way of protesting; just grinned against her lips in his triumphant cheerfulness.

**A/N: well, that's all folks! ^_^ Thanks for sticking with this story, it's been a treasure to have all of you reading my work. I plan on getting another fic up soon – perhaps something in the way of a modern fic? Thanks for reading again, guys!**


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